South African design and manufacturing company BOE Distributors has unveiled its new injection mould reusable face mask, which features a replaceable filter and adjustable headband.

The group, combining its more than 30 years of collective experience in sales, plastics manufacturing and security, developed the locally manufactured Respishield Face Mask as a safer and easy-to-use alternative to cloth and surgical masks.

“We developed the Respishield face mask as we could see the need to locally manufacture a safe reusable and affordable face mask that [would] be accessible to all the people of our country,” says BOE Distributors director Elton James.

The new waterproof, plastic Respishield face masks are manufactured in a thermoplastic with a grid section that houses the filter.

Each mask is supplied with three South African Bureau of Standards-approved replaceable filters, to be replaced once a day, depending on use, with extra filters available from BOE Distributors at a reasonable cost.

“The cost to replace filters is a fraction of the cost of any other mask in the market,” he comments.

Tested by BOE family, friends and colleagues over a two-month period, the masks are said to be easily sanitised, can be cleaned using soap and water, are suitable for use from the age of six and comfortably fit all face profiles.

No breathing difficulties were reported.

“It will benefit school children, cyclists and bikers, builders and construction workers [and] the mining and security industry, [as well as] joggers,” he says, adding that it can also be used when it is raining, as the mask will not get soaked.

“The mask is designed with enough room between the inner wall and [the] mask area on your face so there is no interference, making it comfortable to wear all the time, be it indoors or outdoors, while having conversations with others,” adds James, noting that lipstick can even be worn without it transferring to the mask.

The masks can also easily be branded for companies and individuals who prefer uniforms, and corporate and business colours can be produced based on client needs.