What Is The Secret Behind The High Demand For Hemp Cloth Masks?
COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus. Medical knowledge about the virus is still evolving. Perhaps that is the reason behind several changes in the guidelines to follow.
Only a few safety measures have remained constant. Physical distancing is one of them. Strangers require to maintain at least 6 feet distance between each other. The use of face masks and frequent hand washing are the other two.
These are all measures necessary to prevent transmission through asymptomatic or presymptomatic infected persons.
Why Are Face Masks Important?
The novel coronavirus spreads through the droplets that we emit as we speak, cough, or sneeze. If the droplets emitted by an infected person get into your mouth or nostrils, you can get infected also.
That makes face masks a key tool for preventing the transmission of the virus. When everyone uses face masks, we protect each other.
What Kind of Face Masks To Use
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has clearly said that N95 respirator masks are not for public use. Known as personal protective equipment (PPE), N95 respirators are for healthcare and other professionals facing direct exposure to the virus because of their work.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the use of cloth face masks in all public settings. Especially in situations where maintaining a 6-feet physical distance is difficult.
It is possible to make simple face masks at home, the CDC demonstrates. Double-layer face masks offer better protection than single-layer masks, the CDC says.
However, since hemp masks became available, there has been a rising demand for face coverings made of hemp cloth.
The Arrival Of Hemp Masks In The Market
Medical grade PPEs or N95 masks are in short supply. That’s why the FDA has issued a guideline to keep them restricted for medical professionals only. With the sudden rise in the demand for face masks, there is a global-scale supply shortage.
Manufacturers of hemp textiles the world over have stepped in to address this supply gap. Hemp fabric manufacturers are diverting their production capacity towards designing and marketing hemp masks of different categories.
What’s Special About Hemp Cloth Masks?
Several factors guide the high demand for face masks made from hemp fabric. Our research reflects the following triggers behind the preference for hemp masks over ordinary cotton masks:
Hemp Has Natural Antibacterial Properties
Hemp’s natural ability to resist microbes makes hemp textiles preferable to cotton. The anti-bacterial property adds a degree of extra protection that no average mask made of pure cotton cloth can provide.
Hemp Fabric Is More Breathable Than Cotton
The breathability factor is especially important when it comes to face masks. Since one has to cover one’s nostrils and mouth, a mask that sticks to the face can become an irritant after a while.
Hemp fabric’s extra breathability and efficient absorption capacity make a mask made of hemp fabric more comfortable than a cotton face mask.
Hemp Has Higher Insulating Capacity Than Cotton
Hemp fiber has excellent insulation properties. It retains heat when the atmosphere is hot and releases heat when the atmosphere is cooler. Translated to face masks, this thermal retention and release property makes hemp fabric more comfortable.
A face mask made of hemp textiles is more comfortable in a hot climate because it absorbs and stores heat better than cotton. You feel less heat on your skin. Your skin also feels more comfortable in cooler conditions because your hemp mask releases heat.
Hemp Fabric Is More Durable Than Cotton
Hemp has exceptional tensile strength and easily outlasts cotton. People are preferring hemp masks over cotton ones because we do not know for how long they’ll need to use face masks in public settings.
Given the current shortage in face masks, it is logical for individuals to look for masks that will last longer. Hemp masks win over cotton masks hands down.
Hemp Masks Do Not Stretch Out of Shape
The CDC and all other health authorities across the world emphasize the need to wash your face mask every time you return from being outdoors. It is a well-known fact that cotton stretches out of shape with frequent washing.
It is critical for your face mask to sit snugly on your nostrils and mouth. A mask that has stretched out of shape will not give you enough protection. You’ll need to replace it. That’s one big minus of face masks made of cotton.
Masks made of hemp cloth retain their shape wash after wash. Customers naturally prefer hemp masks over cotton ones to reduce the frequent replacement need.
Investing in hemp masks instead of cotton ones is more economic in the long term. It is also prudent behavior not to be in a situation where you need masks, but they are not available.
Hemp Is More Sustainable Than Cotton
This is not new. Hemp’s superior environmental sustainability over cotton has not been discovered along with the novel coronavirus.
Cotton is one of the most water-intensive crops while hemp needs less than half the water of cotton. Another big problem with cotton is the high quantity of pesticides necessary in its cultivation.
A pound of cotton needs about 1400 gallons of water to be produced. Desertification of cotton-producing land plots is a concern that ecologists have been highlighting for some time.
Remnants of pesticides get absorbed in the atmosphere, soil, and our water bodies, increasing pesticide pollution levels. The toxicity of pesticides poses health hazards for a number of insects and birds, as also for humans.
Hemp, on the other hand, is naturally pest-resistant. Hemp farming does not need the use of any pesticides.
These pro-environment properties of hemp had already made hemp textiles the preferred choice for ecologically conscious consumers in the pre-COVID world.
With face masks made of hemp textiles available in the market, environment-conscious consumers naturally prefer those over cotton ones.
High Demand For Hemp Masks Reflects Responsible Consumer Behavior
As clear from the above discussion, the high demand for face masks made of hemp cloth indicates responsible consumer behavior in terms of keeping self and others safe from the pandemic.
Consumer preference for hemp cloth masks also indicates concerns for greater environmental sustainability
Some Do’s And Don’ts About Face Masks
As we all adjust to the new normal and play our individual roles in reducing the transmission of COVID-19, we need to carefully follow some rules in our use of face masks.
● Sanitize your hands before and after you put on your hemp cloth face mask.
● Try not to touch your face mask while you wear it.
● Soak your hemp cloth face mask in soap water for at least 30 minutes and then wash it after every use.
You can also boil some water and drip your hemp fabric face mask in it for 30 seconds before soaking it in soap water. Remember not to boil the water with the mask in it - just soak your mask for half a minute after boiling the water.
● In public settings where it is possible to maintain the physical distancing norm of at least 6 feet between persons, a single layer pleated hemp mask may be enough.
For more congested settings, use two-layered hemp masks with or without an additional filter.
Author Bio: Vishal Vivek is the CEO and Co-Founder at Hemp Foundation.
Hemp Foundation’s mission is to fight Global warming, plastic pollution, deforestation, wild species extinction through promotion of Hemp in fashion industry and at the same time provide jobs to marginalized communities of artisans and farmers in rural Himalayan villages and give them global reach.