E-TEX is an IIT Delhi start-up for designing and developing smart textile solutions for healthcare sector. It has launched an affordable and effective face mask, KAWACH, for protecting and safeguarding people from the risk of COVID-19.
KAWACH mask is at par with N95 mask in terms of proper fitting, and engineered filtration layer that could provide up to 98% filtration efficiency (3 micron size particle; ASTM F 2101).
The product efficiency is backed with the strong technical inputs from the core textile team in the Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, IIT Delhi.
The mask price is kept affordable (below Rs 45) so that it can reach masses for protection against COVID-19. The cost of N95 mask is quite high.
Professor Bipin Kumar, Textile and Fiber Engineering Department, IIT Delhi said, "India has several massive challenges ahead - disposal of PPEs (including mask and coveralls) after one time use and ensuring the minimum use of non-woven technology for making PPEs. Though a non-woven layer is must for ensuring desired filtration level but the loose fibrous structure make the product disposable after one use. Disposing of synthetic polypropylene non-woven could have a detrimental effect on environment. Finding other textile solution that offers reusability, biodegradability, affordability and scalability for PPEs is the need of hour; this could ensure meeting both the demand and also safeguarding our environment."
"Development of KAWACH mask is a result of our indigenous manufacturing capabilities," he added.
Further, the team is also working on new prototype designs for mask to make it washable and reusable for at least 10 times. This could be a game changing solution for COVID-19 crisis for protecting a massive population of our country in the most economical and effective way. The team is also exploring other textile technologies for developing coveralls. The start-up is seeking funding support from DST, BIRAC, Corporate CSR, etc. to scale up.
