Shephali Shrimali who moved to Hyderabad in September 2013, uses a two wheeler to commute to work. She is aware of the air pollution she is exposed to but instead of using scarves and dupattas, Shephali uses a specialised mask for protection. Her pink mask with grid patterns is a product of the start-up company she has helped grow — OnMask Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd. Shephali came aboard as the company’s CEO when the founder, G. Satya Krishna, and his friend Arun K. Itta, now the company’s chief technical officer, both based in the US, were looking for someone to spearhead the operations.
Priced at Rs. 250, the washable cotton masks have an air filter placed between two dust filters, and can be used for 3-4 months
The masks from OnMask come in vibrant shades and prints, in sizes for both children and adults. The cotton masks have an air filter sandwiched between two dust filters, can withstand multiple washes and be used on a daily basis for three to four months. “The efficiency of the filters goes down after three months,” says Shephali.
OnMask was established in September 2013 at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) wing in International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Gachibowli. Arun researched different materials for the fabric and filters. “The air filter doesn’t get wet since it is protected by dust filters. This helps the mask to be re-used. I chose materials available in India,” he says.
The masks were submitted to the Central Labour Institute and certified in the ‘respirator class FFP1’ category — with more than 80 per cent efficiency of filtering particulate matter. “It is possible to have a higher rate of efficiency but as we go higher, the masks are not very breathable,” says Shephali.
The team designed 250 to 300 masks, sold them on e-commerce platforms and took customer feedback. Along the way, textile designer Monika Saurabh was roped in. A freelance designer from NIFT, she came up with eye-catching prints, patterns and colours. “I felt that people wouldn’t pay more for a plain mask irrespective of how efficient it is. I feel people in general give importance to beauty over health. So I designed different patterns and prints — for example floral prints for women, cartoon characters or angry birds for children and edgy designs for men. We are also considering making masks with natural dye fabric with batik prints,” says Monika.
The masks priced at Rs. 250 are available on e-commerce platforms Snapdeal, Amazon, E-bay and Shopclues, and 50 outlets of MedPlus pharmacies in Hyderabad. The team plans to expand operations in Bangalore, followed by other cities.
The company is also eyeing other areas of air purification such as air purifying devices for homes and membrane masks for industrial use. “Membrane masks are more effective for industrial use and in special cases, for example people with medical conditions like asthma,” says Arun.
“Our first task at hand, though, is to make people think of masks as accessories, like sunglasses — a necessity and a style statement,” says Shephali.
The masks are available on e-commerce platforms and MedPlus pharmacies in the city. For details, http://onmask.com/
