Naturepedic, a U.S. certified organic mattress and bedding manufacturer, pivoted facilities last month to design sustainable organic, nontoxic cotton face masks. They just announced their efforts to ramp up production to 5,000 organic face masks a day for consumers in order to provide aid during this COVID-19 crisis.
“We introduced several face mask prototype designs over a month ago, completed our upgraded retooling in the last couple of weeks, perfected our prototype organic face masks, and are now on target to ramp up to producing 5,000 masks a day for the general public,” said Naturepedic’s Founder and Technical Director Barry A. Cik.
Naturepedic’s toxin-free, sustainable approach notably differs from that of most face masks on the market.
Made with two layers of 100% organic fabric, certified to the GOTS organic standard, Naturepedic’s masks are free from synthetic fibers and hazardous chemicals that are commonly found in conventional face masks, and do not require harsh cleaners and bleaches to clean the masks. Due to a mask’s direct placement on the mouth, nose and face, Naturepedic’s design eliminates the risk of toxins penetrating into the skin during use. The mask’s organic cotton is also soft to the touch and makes breathing much easier.
This type of innovation is nothing new to Naturepedic. In 2003, when Barry, an environmental engineer with over 30 years of experience, went in search of a crib mattress for his new grandchild, he found that all of the crib mattresses being sold contained harmful chemicals and materials. “I knew all about vinyl/PVC, polyurethane foam, and the various chemicals contained in them, and there was no way I was going to have my grandchild sleeping within inches of these toxic chemicals,” commented Cik. And so, necessity drove this environmental engineer to solve the problem by creating an organic, non-toxic, waterproof, and overall safer crib mattress design.
That same problem-solving thinking is what enabled Barry and his two sons, who work together in this family run business, to expand to kids’ mattress designs, adult mattresses, and bedding accessories like pillows, toppers, protector pads, and sheets. Now, they have expanded this line to include organic face masks to aid in this time of crisis.
The Naturepedic face masks are not designed to be N95 particulate filtering masks used by medical personnel in hospitals. Instead, they are designed in accordance with the CDC recommendations for everyday consumers’ use. The Naturepedic organic cotton face masks are durable and machine washable, so they can be reused indefinitely, cutting out the need to continually reorder new masks and send used ones to landfills. The organic face masks are also designed with adjustable straps, which will help keep the mask secure, while achieving maximum comfort.
“The response has been overwhelming. Orders have been flooding in everyday” said Jason Cik. “Our donations to the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and other local facilities have also been greatly appreciated.” The Naturepedic face masks are produced and sold at cost and are not for profit. The company continues to make donations to various other facilities as well.
