MondmaskerFabriek in the news
The shortage of surgical masks is already a problem and this weekend it was announced a huge shipment of surgical masks is being recalled because they’re not up to standard. Cause for the NOS news to visit Fleur Bakker at the Bijlmerbajes to talk about her new project: ‘Mondmaskerfabriek.’ Within 3 weeks she plans to produce a 100.000 a day.
In the news
Viewers of the NOS news might recognize her. Social entrepreneur Fleur Bakker, founder of A beautiful Mess, presented her plan to mechanically manufacture surgical masks right here in the old Bijlmerbajes. In several workshops across the country they’re manually sowing thousands of masks per week. Often, they lack certification and production is slow.
On a daily basis, this country alone uses 100.000 surgical masks. Patients use 20 to 30 a day, but staff and maintenance personnel need these masks too.
Local production guarantees quality
The department of housing is scrambling to buy every available surgical mask worldwide. During a crisis, thing can go wrong like the shipment of FFP2 masks from China which housed 600.000 faulty masks. That’s why A Beautiful Mess is shipping in a machine which can produce 100.000 masks a day. With local production, we can ensure the quality of our goods and the safety of our health care staff.
The mondmaskerfabriek will only be producing the three-layered surgical masks because the production of the FFP2 and FFP3 masks requires a massive investment of money and time (at least 6 months). The masks will be provided to essential professions and the mechanics of Phillips who provide maintenance to medical equipment.
Beyond a beautiful mess
A Beautiful Mess would not be a beautiful mess if they didn’t look beyond our own borders. Whilst we’re safely in our homes in quarantine, there are thousands of people living in refugee camps, sleeping in overcrowded tents or simply outside. They too are entitled to protection. That’s why every order of a 100.000 masks, is automatically an order for a 100.000 masks for the refugees in those camps.
Production should start in mid-April. NOS Radio will follow the Mask Factory in the near future. You can follow the developments via the website and social media. In the meantime: save lives, stay inside.
The NOS item of March 30th can be seen here.