UK
In an effort to provide its clients with an evident proof of compliance for hygienic masks, Associated Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry (ABSCI) member Eurofins has developed the Tested Quality seal for Community masks, for masks meeting stringent testing protocols.

In the middle of the coronavirus crisis, many governments have made the use of masks recommendable, or even mandatory in public places, where safety distances can’t be guaranteed. These hygienic masks, also called community masks, are the ones used by the general public. These are intended to eventually protect others from the wearer, thereby contributing to mitigate the spread of the virus.

During lockdown when hospitality laundries were suffering from the lack of work from hotels, many businesses turned their hand to manufacturing hospital scrubs and masks, as well as ‘community masks’. 

International, regional and local authorities are now  trying to funnel efforts into eventual standardisation of a minimum quality benchmark for community masks, such as the recommendations by the World Health Organization, the EU CEN guideline document CWA 17533 or the local initiatives in Spain, France and Mexico (UNE 0065, UNE 0064- 1, UNE 0064-2, AFNOR-SPEC-S76, breathability, particle filtration, etc.).

Confidence gained by providing transparency
The tested quality mark for Community masks consists of three parts:

·  A seal that can be placed on the product (optional).
The seal bears the corresponding test report number and the URL where the end user can check for the tested protocols.

·  The label or tag, presented along and underneath the seal, to be displayed on the packaging, and including the shortlist of basic testing protocols to which the product has been subjected.

·  The appropriate test report, for the item presented in two formats:

  • ­Extended test report, for the client’s Quality department
  • ­Basic report, to be displayed on the web-based depositary database, for the end user, to check, thereby providing full transparency to the consumers.
  • Eurofins has designed a testing plan to comply with the basic recommendations from the WHO and the EU CW, with addition of some of the requirements for medical masks and PPEs, including safety, ergonomics and performance protocols, as well as artwork check (labels and marking).

Tested quality mark protocols
Eurofins has designed a testing plan to comply with the basic recommendations from the WHO and the EU CW, with addition of some of the requirements for medical masks and PPEs, including safety, ergonomics and performance protocols, as well as artwork check (labels and marking).