Even during a pandemic, Japanese retailer Uniqlo has your head-to-toe needs covered. The brand is releasing its AIRism face mask in the Philippines beginning September 18, 2020.

In the Philippines, the mask is available both in stores nationwide and its online store. A pack contains 3 masks of the same color (either black or white) and costs P590.

Sizes range from small (for children and, perhaps, adults with very small faces), medium, and large (for adults). All sizes come in black and white.

The mask was first launched in Japan back in June.

The design itself isn’t groundbreaking. It has Uniqlo’s proprietary AIRism mesh fabric as its filter and molds nicely around the contours of your face, despite that fact that the mask isn’t structured. The mask body is made of 90% nylon and 10% spandex, while the ear straps are made of polyester, spandex, and cupro.

Here are other facts about the mask from Uniqlo itself:

• The mask has a filter with 99% bacterial filtration efficiency, which means it can block out bacteria, “virus-contaminated” particles, and pollen;
• The triple-layer structure gives it a UPF 50+ rating, which means it cuts 90% of ultraviolet rays from reaching your face; and
• It’s machine washable and retains efficacy after 20 washes at 40 degrees Celsius using regular household detergent. (According to the pack itself, particle collection efficiency goes down to 93% after 20 washes, while bacterial filtration efficiency goes down to 95% after 20 washes).

Since it’s from the AIRism line, the mask also promises that it’s both cool and smooth to the touch and, best of all, breathable.

The mask’s outer layer doesn’t claim to be waterproof, although a simple splash test showed that water doesn’t completely seep through the other side.

With the obvious caveat that these masks are not medical-grade and therefore cannot provide the same protection from possible infection, Uniqlo’s AIRism masks are not altogether a bad deal.

Comfort was clearly a priority when these masks were made, with intended use in spaces that are relatively low-risk. I personally would not wear this inside a health facility or public spaces where the crowd density is relatively high, but I’d be comfortable wearing it outdoors in sparsely-populated spaces within my condominium’s complex.

Ahead of its official launch to the public in the Philippines, demand seems to already be pretty high. Customers are only allowed to purchase 6 packs at a time. According to its mask FAQs, Uniqlo has plans of producing more mask colors in the future. – Rappler.com

The masks were provided to the author by Uniqlo ahead of the product’s launch on September 18.

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