In the Post-COVID-19 Era, Where are the New Opportunities for Mask Factories？

Now, mask factories in European and American countries are facing some pressure: on the one hand, the number of mask factories has surged in the past two years, the supply of masks in the market has been very large, and the competition among peers is very fierce; on the other hand, many cities have canceled the Mask Order, which influences the consumption of masks. Under such circumstances, we can think about where are the new opportunities for mask factories in the face of limited market demand in the post-COVID-19 era. What aspects can be made to strive for the rare development space?

Here, we share three suggestions to see if it’s right for your company.

1 Jump out of the red sea market, deep plowing blue sea market, such as children’s masks.

As we all know, flat masks and N95 masks are the most supplied masks in the market, and almost more than half of the European and American mask factories are doing these two, but for some market segments, such as children’s masks, there are not many manufacturers who really focus on doing them.

South Korea is considered a leader in children’s masks because it strictly enforces its KF94 standard. Its Ministry of Health says that the only true KF94 is made in Korea. This has attracted a number of U.S. traders, such as Behealthyusa.net, a direct U.S. distributor of Korean-made BOTN KF94, who told Reuters that during the initial Omicron surge, many of the smaller KF94 masks on its website were sold out.

Miller, an employee of Behealthyusa.net, said that currently in the U.S., factories make fewer masks for children than adults and that demand for children’s masks is growing as much as 15 percent per week.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., for example, at the regulatory level, adult N95 masks are federally regulated and considered the gold standard. For local children’s masks, there is no government agency to regulate them, which is why some parents are turning to children’s masks made to the Korean KF94 or Chinese N95 standards.

However, some efforts are being made at the government level. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is developing a U.S. standard for high-filtration children’s masks, which could lay the groundwork for domestic regulation.

Texas mask manufacturer Aegle and the University of Maryland’s Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices are designing children’s masks with filtration similar to N95 but optimized for children’s smaller faces and lungs. Aegle CEO Andy Moy plans to begin clinical trials at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., in April.

The standard will define mask material, size, and filter quality. After that, a standards body or government agency will need to support and adopt it. A federal agency will be needed to enforce the standard, Moy said.

Once the standard is developed,  mask manufacturers will get a very good opportunity to grow, and in addition to continuing to make flat masks and N95 masks, new cakes can be grabbed for a bite.

2 Catering to the demand for consumer upgrades to make eco-friendly and fashionable masks

Santa Clara, CA – April 21, 2021 – A recent Frost & Sullivan analysis of the global consumer mask market found that the total market for disposable and non-disposable masks is expected to experience a negative CAGR of 39.8% as the threat of COVID-19 decreases, from $5.6 billion in 2020 to $440 million in 2025. The total market for disposable and non-disposable masks is expected to grow at a negative CAGR of 39.8% from $5.6 billion in 2020 to $440 million in 2025. However, manufacturers’ focus on producing innovative and eco-friendly masks to reduce health issues such as pollution and influenza will drive the market, leading to investments in antimicrobial technology and nanotechnology.

For the mask business to flourish, manufacturers must develop masks with unique product features, such as nanotechnology filters with anti-microbial properties and adequate virus-size filtration,” said Anjan Kumar Roy, research analyst for chemicals, materials, and nutrition at Frost & Sullivan.”

Despite the declining market trend for consumer masks, manufacturers can focus on the following to capitalize on growth prospects.

Manufacturers should introduce eco-friendly masks with antimicrobial properties that are reusable, or masks made of biodegradable materials, so as to ensure a sustainable future. This is attractive to a huge number of environmentalists.

Some highly designed, unique looking masks are quickly becoming a fashion statement. This provides manufacturers with the opportunity to create product differentiation through customized features.

Manufacturers also need to adequately reach out to consumers. Preparing the public for possible future pandemic events through social media and digital platforms will also help ensure market sustainability.

3 The range of masks is wide, besides medical masks, they can also be other protective masks

According to the end use of the mask, it is divided into surgical masks, disposable masks and respirator masks. Based on the type of respirator mask, the market is segmented into N95/KN95 mask, N99/KN99 mask, N100/KN100 mask, FFP2 mask, FFP3 mask, FFP1 mask, and other masks. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into hospitals, retail, banking, travel, manufacturing, e-commerce, other industrial sectors, and individuals.

Dust masks are vital for a range of industries: construction, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and even for your DIY projects at home. The FFP1, FFP2, and FFP3 grades offer different levels of protection.

That said, if your plant, which previously focused on making surgical masks and N95 masks, can now learn more about other dust masks, the market for masks for industrial use is also very promising.

This is evidenced by the following data.

It can be seen that in the future, with the gradual stabilization of the epidemic, the growth of dust masks (respirator masks) also slowed down, but the proportion of the mask market is still very high.

N100, KN100, FFP2, FFP3, and FFP1 these industrial protective masks occupy more than half of the market share.

The oil and gas industry, mining industry, construction industry, manufacturing industry, etc. all need a lot of protective masks.

Therefore, factories that previously focused on making medical masks can change their thinking and try to expand the types of masks to occupy new markets and create better conditions for the company’s profitability, provided that the capital conditions are met.

What do you think of the above suggestions? Do you have any better new opportunities for mask factories in the future? Welcome to communicate and share with us. We hope that every customer engaged in mask production can develop better in the competition.