The ingenuity of a wounded province. Strength and generosity. These are the ingredients of this Italian story. Small business history of a small business.
Yesterday the news came that the masks on the market should not be sold for more than 50 cents. Because if the phase of coexistence with the virus continues as expected, every family will have to make a widespread use of it and procure stocks on stocks. Continuously. It will not be easy for the environment either: no recycling of sanitary materials is foreseen and the national capital of undifferentiated waste to be disposed of will undoubtedly increase. But they are sacrifices necessary to preserve our health. The lesser evil, as they say.
In this emergency situation, Stil Gomma from Castelli Calepio (Bergamo) offers (in every sense) its alternative.
A permanent silicone mask.
A self-sterilizing medical device made of certified material antibacterial equipped with disposable filters (filters sold separately in packs of thirty).
The upright of the device is made of medical silicone (in compliance with current specifications) and contains silver ions that make the surfaces antibacterial permanently. Relying on the disposable TNT filter, which can be sterilized with simple boiling water (in the microwave, if desired), the strength of the product is in fact its durability: it is no longer disposable. Practical therefore, and above all eco-friendly.
Reached for the interview, engineer Giulia Sala, one of the project managers, insists on underlining how much priority of her team, which praises and thanks without sparing, is and will always remain the donation of the product to the suffering community. Moreover, it is easy in these cases to attract the distrust of those who could read the shadow of profit behind good intentions.
Instead, the good faith of the company is certified by the actions: with the collaboration of suppliers - Manzoni SMP, Pelletterie2F, DIGI stampi, Italian Form - Stil Gomma has already donated 10000 masks and 300000 filters to the National Alpini Association for a total value of 100.000 EUR. It is now their intention to make a sale sufficient to allow for the second donation. With a generous ratio - considering production costs - of 10% (100 devices donated for every 1000 sold).
The mask, already protected by Utility Model 202020000001633, is CE 2001/95 certified and therefore ready for the market. It will shortly start the process to also become PPE and medical device by implementing significantly more performing filters in the same product and with the same materials.
Photo - Stil Gomma
