Fully recyclable, washable and sustainable UK mask brand, 1TcA, launches today
Founded by three socially and environmentally conscious mothers during the coronavirus pandemic, the game-changing face coverings will help to reduce cross-contamination
1TcA (One Thought Changes All), a fully recyclable and sustainable UK mask brand, announces the launch of its face coverings enhanced by HeiQ Viroblock in collaboration with HeiQ.
Founded by mother and social entrepreneur, Raj Kumari-Byford, at the start of the nation’s lockdown, 1TcA provides comfortable, lightweight masks and snoods to help prevent cross-contamination. HeiQ Viroblock is an antimicrobial textile technology, which, when applied to the fabric, protects it from microbes and germs.
All 1TcA products are produced in the UK at factories paying the Living Wage, and all profits are donated to charitable causes. The face coverings, designed by Project Plan B, are made from GRS (Global Recycled Standard) plastic bottles, are sustainable and can be recycled after 30 washes. They can then be sent back to 1TcA, where they will be returned into their constituent parts to enable the whole process of manufacturing to restart, otherwise known as a closed loop system.
Mandatory masks
The launch comes two days before face coverings are made mandatory for shoppers in England. 1TcA’s masks and snoods, priced at £16.99 each or £31.98 for a pack of two, will help staff and the general public feel at ease as the latter group continues to hit the shops.
The face coverings can be bought by corporates in bulk or by individuals and families looking to protect themselves. They are also ideal for those who work in the public sector, with priority given to key workers.
The technology behind it
HeiQ Viroblock is the creation of HeiQ, the global leader in textile innovation. It’s among the first textile finishing technologies worldwide that have been successfully tested against the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, SARS-CoV-2, in the laboratory, using the Viral Stability and Persistence test method with the Peter Doherty Institute for infection and immunity in Melbourne, Australia. HeiQ Viroblock treated fabrics showed over 99.99% reduction of SARS-CoV-2 Viruses.
Practical and sustainable
Masks treated with this ground-breaking technology are durable and don’t need to be washed daily. They only need to be washed once they become dirty.
Further, HeiQ Viroblock is certified as safe and sustainable as all its ingredients are cosmetic grade, bio-based and recycled, so both the technology and fabric used for the face coverings are environmentally friendly.
Speaking on the life-changing venture, Raj Kumari-Byford says, “Our mission is to protect people, and these face coverings will help reduce the spread of the virus. They are fully sustainable and recyclable, and are ethically made here in the UK, with the production line workers receiving the first batch to protect themselves.
“We want everyone to benefit from these face coverings and 100% of our net profits go to charitable causes.”
To find out more about 1TcA and to make a purchase, visit www.1tca.com.
To find out more about the 1TcA team’s food sharing initiatives, visit www.thefoodshare.uk.
To find out more about the support 1TcA is offering, email contact@1tca.com.
