The launch of Uniqlo's Airism face mask this Monday is an event looked forward to by many. In Japan a few months ago, the local launch saw long queues as customers clamoured for good quality and comfortable reusable masks.
Washable masks are aplenty-- fashion labels and seamstresses are producing this new essential, but consumer trust lies in companies that have their fabric technology on point, so sports and apparel brands have the upper hand.
Uniqlo's Airism technology, a summer staple in temperate countries and a year-long essential for tropical markets like ours, is used in the brand's innerwear, t-shirts, pants and other clothing items that require an airy feel. So it comes as no surprise that the technology is used in the brand's first face mask for public use.
When the Covid-19 pandemic started, Fast Retailing, Uniqlo's parent company, was at the forefront, manufacturing PPEs and producing masks for medical frontliners, setting its own stage for the debut of its first consumer product.
EARLY TRIAL
I received the mask a week before its retail drop and tried it on, and it must say it ticks almost all the right boxes.
It's the most comfortable mask I have tried. It doesn't come with a metal plate on the nose bridge but the slight stretch of the material lets the mask sit nicely. It's white and that's perfect because you need to see any stain if it's dirty. Just because a black mask looks clean doesn't mean it is.
The earloop is also very comfortable for long wear, but if you wear the hijab, you'd need a slightly longer mask extender than the one you use with a disposable mask. Personally, I think this mask should be used on ears.
It comes is three sizes. I wear M and my husband, who is 176cm tall and weighs 80kg, wears L. After a little alteration, our toddler son can wear the S sized mask and he says it's comfortable.
He never wanted to wear any other reusable mask, but he was okay with the Uniqlo Airism mask. As a mum, I think Uniqlo should expand the size to include XS so smaller children can wear it too.
THREE-LAYER
The mask has a triple-layer structure, compliant to the World Health Organisation's recommendation. It's easy to breathe with it, but when you breathe out, you don't feel the air seeping through the layers.
The centre of the mask employs a filter that delivers a bacterial filtration efficiency of 99 per cent, protecting the skin from bacteria and pollen particles. The mask also has a UPF 50 rating, so it cuts 90 per cent of UV rays. The triple layer structure retains its efficacy after 20 washes at 40 degrees.
The mask is priced at RM39.90 for a pack of three, which works out to 66 sen per use if you use each one for 20 washes. It's still cheaper than the disposable mask's current ceiling price of RM1.
The Uniqlo Airism mask drops online at Uniqlo's website on Sept 14 at 9am and at all its stores on the same day. There are white and black masks available and purchase is limited to one pack per size per person.
Stay protected outside and get reusable face masks at discounted prices using Shopee Discount Code.