HEMP SOLUTION FOR FACE MASKS
The continued production of single-use plastics is not sustainable. Single-use plastic masks already litter the shores of many coastlines. Many conservationists have spoken out about the disposable face masks already scattered among the seabed and spotted along the shoreline, warning these masks are adding fuel to an already raging fire battering marine life.
Many Manufacturers believe that local agricultural materials should be used in place of polyethylene products, the continued use of polyethylene materials used to create products that are then sent off all over the globe, many of which end up littering and suffocating fragile ecosystems.
HOW THE BIODEGRADABLE HEMP FACE MASK IS MADE
Besides its efficiency for protection, one of the most critical elements of a face mask is comfort. While having a high safety profile should be an essential element of a good face mask, comfort plays an important function. These hemp face masks use a blended corn fiber for the lining and a recyclable elastic band to find the perfect fit.
Where does hemp fit in?
Hemp fiber bales are processed into flat sheets using compressors and rollers. These hemp sheets are hardened and made compact through the compressors. The rollers ensure they are uniform, flat sheets that can be cut into a mask template. These templates are then folded, by hand, into masks. The corn lining is fitted along with a recyclable elastic band. Everything in the mask, from the shell to the elastic, can be placed in the earth to return to the soil, using local agriculture from the rural area.
The Hemp Mask is a 100% vegetable filter that is performance controlled by the DGA and fits into the UNS 2 category.
HEMP: AN EFFICIENT BIOPLASTIC
Hemp is a rewarding crop; with prolific growth and efficiency. The plant can be applied in various industries, from bioplastics to food. Bioplastics made from hemp are lightweight and, due to their biodegradable nature, could be set to replace typical plastics.
Hemp plastics take up to 6 months to decompose. Compare that to the 450 years that it takes for a typical oil-based plastic, and it comes as no surprise hemp is looking set to take over from petrochemical plastics as the go-to material for production.
Hemp products have circulated the marketplace for the past decade, and new technologies are being funded for more sustainable hemp pulping and processing. Face masks made from natural materials, biodegradable, and compostable fibers are being made throughout the globe as concern mounts for the continued use of disposable masks. According to Waste Free Oceans, a single disposable plastic mask could end up floating in the ocean for four and a half centuries before it finally begins to decompose. With approximately 129 billion disposable face masks being used every month, there is a severe threat looming over the world’s oceans.
