Disposable masks are now part of our everyday lives. Sooner or later, however, these end up in the garbage or in nature. The founder of Marie Bee Bloom has therefore developed a mask that is biodegradable and that even turns into a meadow of flowers.
Whether when shopping or on public transport – we wear masks. FFP2, KN95 / N95 or surgical masks, i.e. medical disposable masks; they are now nationwide in the areas mentioned mandatory, whereby in some federal states additional regulations apply.
However, their reusability is limited, so sooner or later we will have to dispose of them, which creates a lot of junk. It’s every minute, according to the UK online business magazine Fast Company three million masks that end up in the trash. Or just in nature. There, the products, which for example consist of polypropylene-based fleece, pollute the environment and very slowly break down into microplastics.
The biodegradable mask that carries a meadow of flowers
The trained graphic designer Marianne de Groot-Pons from the Netherlands has dealt with the garbage problem caused by masks and has come up with an exciting product. Their “Marie Bee Bloom” masks are completely biodegradable.
And not only that: the masks are filled with flower seeds. After wearing it, you can bury it in the garden or in a flower pot and over time it can grow into a small flower meadow. In the mask are seeds from Dutch pasture mix, for example asters, cornflowers, gilia and dill.
De Groot-Pons shows what such a mask looks like on her Instagram account:
The “Marie Bee Bloom” masks are made of rice paper and the cords are made of pure sheep’s wool. According to their own information de Groot-Pons combed, spun, twisted and washed the sheep’s wool himself. Therefore, nobody should be surprised if there is still a blade of grass to be found in the cords.
The strings are attached to the mask with an adhesive based on potato starch and water. Even the ink used to depict the logo on the masks is biodegradable.
The masks are available in online shop to buy – delivery to Germany is possible. You can order them in packs of 5, 10 or 15. Five masks cost 15 euros, ten masks cost 30 euros and 15 masks cost 45 euros.
This is how Marie Bee Bloom’s masks protect
According to the manufacturer, the Marie Bee Bloom mask should be just as good or bad as a homemade mask protect. However, it must be said that the protection provided by fabric masks depends on the material and design. There are different ones which offer themselves Studies checked – however, masks made from rice paper and flower seeds have not yet been tested.
Self-made masks are also not tested medical products. How well they protect depends entirely on the design and material. On the other hand, tested surgical masks and FFP2 masks must be specific criteria correspond. Other surgical masks, FFP2 masks as well as the wearer, can protect against droplets and sometimes also against aerosols, as long as they are worn correctly. That’s why we currently have to use them in shopping and on public transport – Marie Bee Bloom’s masks are not enough for this purpose.
Utopia says: The mask cannot replace OP or FFP masks because it does not offer the necessary protection. If reusable cloth masks are allowed at some point, a washable face mask would likely be the more sustainable option. Especially since there is probably only limited space for flower beds in the garden or on the windowsill.
But it has a mask like that of Marianne de Groot-Pons Symbolic effect. She draws attention to a problem that threatens our environment: Disposable masks end up in the environment every day – and unfortunately these are not made of rice paper and flower seeds, but partly of plastic. Perhaps the flower model serves as an inspiration for great mask manufacturers to find new ways to combine protection with sustainability. Until then, we consumers cannot do without protective masks, but we can make sure to use them carefully. You can read here how to properly dispose of masks: Disposing of masks: This way it does not become an environmental problem
Read more on Techzle.com:
- Can you clean and reuse FFP2 masks? What you need to know
- FFP2 masks: 5 common mistakes to avoid
- Mountains of rubbish from FFP2 masks: Company brings reusable alternative to market