Coronavirus: washable, reusable hemp masks made in Italy

To address the mask shortage, which is also affecting Italian healthcare workers, the Maeko brand came up with the idea of creating masks made of hemp washable and reusable.

«We were terrified by the thought that we were all overusing disposable items and that, after this tragic event, we would also have to deal with all the waste generated—such as uniforms, masks, gloves, and so on—a disaster,» , explains Cinzia Vismara of Maeko, noting that: «Between us, I thought there would be solutions. One day, on Facebook, I saw some videos of older doctors explaining how, back in the day, they used to make cloth masks that were then washed at 90 degrees to be reused. And then I started talking about it.»

Once the idea was in place, prototyping followed quickly.

«We decided to use the hemp we had in stock, but since we didn’t have any elastic bands and the fabric store was closed, we had to improvise. So I got in touch with one of my cousins, who works as a doctor at a hospital in Cagliari and whose father had run a sail-making workshop for years. I sent him the fabric and started working on the first masks, which my cousin took to the hospital. »Our initial idea was to sell them, but after discovering that the hospitals in Cagliari didn’t even have paper masks, we decided to donate them and send more fabric.”.

Comfortable, washable, and waterproof masks

These hemp masks are made with two layers of fabric and another layer of thick, lightweight spinnaker fabric. The result is a comfortable, washable, and waterproof face mask.

«We mustn’t forget that hemp is a naturally antibacterial fabric. As a result, dirt and unpleasant odors are less likely to build up,» Cinzia points out.

«The healthcare staff was very satisfied. We also supplied the fabric to a client in Milan who produced another small batch, part of which was sold to individuals and the rest was donated. A pharmacist shared this wonderful feedback: after wearing our masks all day, they confirmed that they didn’t smell any saliva, whereas with paper masks the smell was very strong.».

The idea came about as a way to avoid causing further contamination from waste when using disposable masks. And it turns out to be perfectly in line with the properties of hemp.

Several studies have demonstrated the natural antibacterial properties of hemp, which are also present in fabrics made from this plant. According to a 2014 study, the substances found in hemp reduce the spread of certain bacteria: «Certain natural-fiber plants, such as hemp, are considered to have antibacterial activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, «in which» the antibacterial properties may be conferred by the cannabinoids, the alkaloids, other bioactive compounds, or phenolic compounds in lignin.«.

A other study, also from 2014, highlighted the antibacterial properties of hemp shavings against Escherichia coli.