If you are like me, it has been a process to find a mask that is comfortable, well constructed, soft on the skin, washable, and protective. I have gone through many kinds of masks and have been disappointed time and time again, until now. While I do not usually endorse products, I feel strongly that the Vivi mask is something important to share with my readers. Barbara Hobart, creator of the Vivi mask spent almost nine months perfecting this mask. It has been lab-tested for filtration protection. There is a link to FAQs in the body of this blog post, but here are the most impressive results:
The Vivi Mask™ stops 90% of particles between 0.2 and 3 um. Here’s how it performs against three different particles sizes:
0.2 um – 77%
1.0 um – 98%
3.0 um – 98%
Since I have returned to school and must wear a mask all day, the Vivi has been my go-to mask for comfort, fit, and protection. I love the adjustable ear loops and flexible nose guard. The best part is that my glasses no longer fog because the fit is so customized. I am encouraging my readers to consider purchasing a Vivi Mask. You can receive a 10% discount by using this special link: Use Discount Code ROBINCOGAN for 10% off your order
Read all about how and why Barbara Hobart created THE VIVI MASK :
At the onset of COVID, I wanted to create a safer mask for kids and adults than what I was able to find in the marketplace.
While hundreds of masks were popping up everywhere, none seemed to have everything I wanted in one mask, so, through my company HomePlates Worldwide, I set out to create a mask that had to have all of these requirements:
1. It had to protect against small particles and fit well… this was key. I was tired of my glasses constantly fogging up, so a built-in nose bridge was crucial. And while I was glad to see anyone wearing a mask, it made me anxious when I would see gaps in the sides which basically rendered the mask useless… so adjustable ear loops were designed so it would fit securely and comfortably around the face.
2. The fabric needed to be soft to the touch: we use a brushed material which is also treated with Agion, an antimicrobial that absorbs odors and keeps the mask smelling fresh all day.
3. It needed to have washable filtration. The problem with many masks that have filtration is they’re not washable. There are a number of expensive masks that are electrostatically charged — which is great, except they lose their charge when washed. So basically, you end up with a really expensive piece of cotton that does little more than a t-shirt. The Vivi Mask has 4 layers: 2 outer and 2 inner with the washable filtration material sewn in…. no need to buy additional filters.
4. The mask needed to be good for the environment and Made in the USA. Disposable masks were being sold by the tens of thousands… and ending up in our oceans and landfills. The Vivi utilizes materials that do not diminish the medical supply chain needed for our frontline workers.
5. The Vivi Mask can be customized with any design, message, or logo of your choice. Find out more.
6. Great for fundraisers, too, or generating additional revenue, join the Affiliate Program for 10% on every sale generated. When you sign up, you will receive an exclusive link that you can share with your friends and family, and you earn a 10% commission on every order placed using your exclusive link. You can also use the proceeds to help donate to your school, raise funds for your team, special event, political candidate, charity, or organization.
It took nine months to develop and test in a lab, but it was worth it. And I am honored to see one of my favorite Senators, Sherrod Brown wearing The Vivi Mask as he and VP Kamala Harris work together to invest in our future.
Q. What is the sub-micron particle range and why is it important?
A. Particles less than 1 micron (um) in diameter are the most challenging for filters to stop. Most makers of non-medical masks do not provide PFE data in this size range. Good performance in the micron range (typically 1-5 um) does not guarantee adequate filtration against the smallest particles. The Vivi Mask™ was tested over most of the sub-micron range and offers good filtration for its intended uses.
The Vivi Mask™ stops 90% of particles between 0.2 and 3 um. Here’s how it performs against three different particles sizes:
0.2 um – 77%
1.0 um – 98%
3.0 um – 98%
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Barbara Hobart is a television writer/producer. She is also an inventor and manufacturer of custom products and is the owner of HomePlates Worldwide. (She knows this is a rather odd combination of professions, and way too long a title for a business card!)
The “manufacturing thing” started back in 1994 when Barbara was in LA puttering around her garage (what she does when she doesn’t want to write) and she came up with a fun, new way to decorate light switch covers. (Back then, decorative light switchplates weren’t even a thing, much less considered a tangible product.)
Then in 2003, while visiting friends in London, she offered to make them a switchplate to replace their plain, boring, white switch. She was told: “You can’t. UK switches are wired into the wall and are not removable.” Really? Well, “can’t” isn’t a word in Barbara’s vocabulary. And so, a challenge became an opportunity — and an international business:
Barbara invented and introduced the first injection-molded decorative light switch cover to the UK — which required no rewiring and launched HomePlates across the pond. A few years later, wanting to leave no continent undecorated, in 2008, HomePlates Switch Covers were introduced to the Australian marketplace.
Since that time, Barbara has expanded her company and creates, develops, manufactures, distributes, and consults with companies large and small to help strengthen their brand identity and awareness through custom products.
Some of her clients include Laura Ashley, British Home Stores, John Lewis Department Store, Aspace, BBC America, Organic Girl, Live Nation, House of Blues, WIC, The Coca Cola Company, The Campbell’s Soup Company, Blake Shelton, Netflix, Comcast, Carnival Cruises, Opry Entertainment, WIC, Dark Matter Coffee, Gifford’s Ice Cream, and many others.
One of her current brands is Best Ever Backdrops, the first lightweight, stain resistant, and 100% waterproof backdrop used by food and product photographers globally.
When Covid19 hit, she set out to create a better, safer filtration mask and is pleased to introduce The Vivi Mask™ to help save lives and protect the ones we love.
And yes, she still writes and produces for the stage and television. You can see her latest work: The Quarantine Diaries, a series which started as a fundraiser for The Actors Fund to help those in the entertainment community during Covid19.
Published by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN
Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN, is a Nationally Certified School Nurse (NCSN), currently in her 22nd year as a New Jersey school nurse in the Camden City School District. Robin is the Director for New Jersey to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) Board. She is proud to be a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow and past Program Mentor. Robin is the honored recipient of multiple awards for her work in school nursing and population health. These awards include, 2019 and 2020 National Association of School Nurses President’s Award, 2018 NCSN School Nurse of the Year, 2017 Johnson & Johnson School Nurse of the Year, and the New Jersey Department of Health 2017 Population Health Hero Award. Robin serves as faculty in the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing, where she teaches the next generation of school nurses. She was presented the 2018 Rutgers University – Camden Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award for Part-time Faculty. Robin writes a weekly blog called The Relentless School Nurse. She also writes a monthly column in My American Nurse, the official journal of the American Nurses Association. Robin’s work is included as a case study in The Future of Nursing Report 2020-2030. You can follow Robin on Twitter at @RobinCogan.
View all posts by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN
