• mask republic collaboration offers high-quality reusable face masks assembled in Austria
  

• The face masks feature a proprietary polypropylene resin from Borealis provided to this initiative through the Borealis Social Fund
  

• Design, manufacturing and sales is organised by Vienna-based stationery brand paper republic
  

• The face masks deliver up to four times better filtration than conventional hand-sewn alternatives
  

mask republic, which has been launched amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will supply face masks across Austria thanks to a reliable network of value chain partners, local and regional government organisations, and NGOs. Testing at Borealis laboratory facilities shows that the mask republic face masks provide up to four times more effective filtration than conventional hand-sewn face masks. Since washing the masks does not impact filtration effectiveness, they are perfectly washable and reusable without losing their filtration performance and therefore help to counter waste.

The mask republic partnership sees Borealis provide filtration media fabrics made using their new polypropylene (PP) resin for meltblown applications: Borealis HL912FB. Face mask design, manufacture and sales are being organised by paper republic. The initiative involves providing local and regional tailors, who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with a custom-designed kit to assemble these masks from a light cotton fabric.

mask republic demonstrates how unlikely partners can come together to contribute to the communities in which they operate. “Some months ago it quickly became clear that Austria, like many other countries around the world, was facing one of the biggest health and safety challenges in nearly a century,” says Jérôme Bacquias, founder and Managing Director of paper republic. “We immediately knew that we had a mission to help the communities around us. These difficult times have brought us together with Borealis, in an extraordinary partnership that we are certain will benefit many.”

Demand for effective face masks has increased significantly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Solutions are required that provide protection against the novel coronavirus, while at the same time enabling wearers to breathe easily. The need for face masks is expected to remain strong as European countries begin to loosen lockdowns and some introduce the mandatory wearing of face masks in public spaces.