Mask with Testex label (First Swiss community mask)

face protective mask handmade from fashion fabric cloth

In recent weeks, mandatory use of face masks has become part of everyday Swiss life, at least on public transport. With immediate effect, the first fabric mask with the official Testex Community Mask test label is available from the two Swiss textile firms, Schoeller Textil AG and Forster Rohner AG. Since May, the companies have been able to offer their masks with official EMPA recommendation. The sustainable and economical quality products consist primarily of recycled performance fabric which can be recycled once again at the end of its service life, Schoeller Textil reports.

Testex Lable

Since 6 July 2020, the wearing of face masks has been mandatory throughout the entire public transport network in Switzerland. In fact, the Federal Office of Public Health recommends wearing masks wherever social distancing is not practicable. Increasingly, voices calling for a sustainable and officially recommended alternative to the previously widely used FFP masks and medical masks are getting louder. For this reason, the Swiss National COVID-19 Task Force has worked out the details of a recommendation and defined the standards to be met. An expedient textile solution for Switzerland which meets these standards comes from within Switzerland, with no long transport routes or reliance on international supply chains.

The mandatory use of face masks has become part of Swiss everyday life in recent weeks, at least on public transport. The first fabric mask with the official Testex Community Mask test label is available with immediate effect from the two Swiss textile companies, Schoeller Textil AG and Forster Rohner AG. Since May, the companies have been able to offer their masks with official EMPA recommendations. Sustainable and economical quality products primarily consist of recycled performance fabric that can be recycled once again at the end of its service life, reports Schoeller Textil.

The wearing of face masks is mandatory throughout Switzerland’s entire public transport network since 6 July 2020. The Federal Public Health Office recommends wearing masks where social distancing is not feasible. Progressively, voices calling for a sustainable and officially recommended alternative to the FFP masks and medical masks already widely used are becoming louder. Therefore, the Swiss National Task Force COVID-19 has worked out the details of a recommendation and defined the standards to be met.

Recyclable fabric made with 60 % recycled fibres

The innovative Rheintal-based company Schoeller Textil AG has developed high-quality fabric components in the mask. The two-layer polyester fabric is hydrophilic (water-repelling) on the inside and hydrophobic (water-repelling) on the outside, and features an antibacterial finish. This fabric offers pleasant wearing comfort, giving the cotton-like feel. The sustainable fabric consists of 60 % recycled fibers. Within the framework of the wear2wear recycling cooperation (www.wear2wear.org), the masks can be recycled once again when they reach the end of their life cycle.

The reusable mask is composed in St. Gallen by Forster Rohner AG and at its European subsidiaries. With optimum fit and tested skin tolerance, it is said to impress. All the mask components conform to OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Numerous controlled and uncontrolled substances are screened for the test process.

“The masks are safe to wear with the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label,” says Schoeller Textil. “Forster Rohner added to the technically innovative mask as a fashion component, too. The subsidiary, Jakob Schlaepfer AG, created a special print for the mask. This kind of development has been done only for the worldwide famous couture and prêt-à-porter fashion labels. A limited-edition of available print designs emerges aside from white and plain-colored masks, or specific colors or even individual print designs are created for major customers.