Medium-size firms in a range of industries across Japan are marshaling their technologies and knowhow to produce high-quality, washable masks to meet soaring demand amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Apparel company Lifestyle Accent Inc. in Kumamoto Prefecture has launched masks using fiber materials from washi, or traditional Japanese paper. It says this kind of material helps masks feel less stuffy and that they can be washed just like clothing items such as T-shirts.
The triple-layered mask has a filter in the middle made wholly of washi, while the material that touches the skin is a mixture of washi and cotton.