There is a raising concern about the quality of air we breathe in and naturally the market for Air purifiers are gaining momentum too. While at home and work the standard Air purifiers can be installed, what about the time you spend outdoor? while at public places? in transit? Young women wrapping their face with their duppatta / scarves or men using handkerchief or bandana to stay clear off pollution while driving is a common sight in urban cities of India but the reality is they can only ward off the bigger particulate matter and dust in the air and not the finer particles or allergens. Even most of the commercial air purifier masks that is available in the market does not do their job pretty well. Atlanta Healthcare, one of the pioneers in air purifier segment in India are bringing in a military grade mask to the country from a part of the world we usually don’t associate for manufacturing but known for its university. Cambridge Mask Co is based out of the English city of the same name and it’s founder and CEO of the company Christopher Dobbing is making them in England and even selling the masks in China, something of a rare reverse flow into the dragon’s market. So what is special about the Cambridge mask? The company claims carbon filters, as used by the British military and sewn into the masks, eliminate 99 percent of viruses, bacteria, and pollution. Dobbing also mentions that the carbon material they use us 100 times more expensive than other carbon cloths and also is more effective in dealing with wide array of pollutants. Starting at Rs 1799 and available in five different sizes – XS, S, M, L and XL and in three variants plain, one-side valved and double side valved the Cambridge Masks is in a different league compared to the cheap, disposable masks. Foremost, these masks can be used for around 200 hours ( 3-6 months on an average) depending on the pollution level and can be hand cleaned and used. The entire mask is a filter, with triple layer filtration including a special carbon fiber. The mask meet N99 standards which means it can consistently remove more than 99% of solid particulate matters including fine particles up to 0.3 micron or level below PM 2.5 and even PM 0.3. The company also claims it can kill an average of 99.77% of bacteria and viruses. While it does its job allegedly pretty well, the Cambridge Masks looks good too. The masks are available in funky designs to make it a fashionable wear for both adults and kids. The company also says it can customize the prints for bulk corporate orders. Atlanta Healthcare are working on making the masks available easily not only online but also across the counter at medical shops and supermarkets. The Cambridge Mask does sound an interesting proposition in theory and the masks I saw does look appealing. How does it fare? Well, I cannot comment on that since I have not tried it yet but with the technology they boast about and the carbon mesh I saw in the mask, it should make us breathe easy. ]]>
