Caldera’s innovative MaskFactory concept becomes popular in Europe
07 October 2020: With the restrictions due to COVID19 and the lockdown of all sporting events and competitions, sportswear companies now need to find new customers to maintain the jobs of their employees. So, to help its PrintShop customers and specifically those printing Sportswear and Custom Teamwear, Caldera has unveiled a new MaskFactory, an innovative initiative to meet demand for Protective Masks19. Caldera is working with partners in Europe and the U.S. to bring the MaskFactory service to consumers.
The MaskFactory rolls out Color Masks, Printed Masks, Configurateur 3D, Masque Logo, Custom Design Masks. The 3-layer masks comply with the French standard AFNOR SPEC S76-001:2020. They are produced with sublimation printing on the outside, using eco-solvent inks certified ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX. They consist of a 100% woven polyester lining, with an inner lining of non-woven polypropylene.
According to Caldera, the goal of the platform is to meet the growing demand for masks for individuals and to support the activity of Caldera’s printing customers, which were put in difficulty during the COVID-19 health crisis. The MaskFactory platform allows the creation of personalized face masks using visuals or design chosen online. Manufactured according to the French AFNOR standards, they are then shipped to the customer’s home. Caldera employees had the idea of creating MaskFactory when they were faced with the difficulty of obtaining masks for their families. It was the shortage of certified masks that prompted them to launch this initiative.
Sébastien Hanssens, Vice President Marketing, Operations & IT, Caldera, said: “The idea behind MaskFactory is to bring some lightness to these difficult times by making it easier to order fun and colourful masks. Customers will be able to design their own certified masks by choosing from thousands of images and designs available online, and will be able to customize them by choosing the color or adding their name for example.”
The MaskFactory platform is based on the robust and scalable micro-factory solution. It allows printers to compensate for the loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 health crisis by offering them new business opportunities. Caldera provides access to the digital business platform to its MaskFactory partners so they can offer customized consumer protection.
The MaskFactory platform is designed to route orders to producers located near the customer. In addition to supporting the local economy, this feature will reduce carbon emissions when transporting masks over long distances.
www.maskfactory.fr
