San Diego, CA October 14th, 2020. The COVID situation has created many unusual challenges and few solutions. Persons wearing masks have been infected and even died. Protection from COVID has become a primary concern and 3M N95 masks are unavailable to the general public. Most of the masks on the market protect ‘others’ but few protect the person wearing the mask. This is where Antonio Stefano decided to engineer its own mask for the protection of its team, their parents and children. They knew the blue disposable masks are dangerous, as many are water-resistant; if water can’t get through them, air would take the path of least resistance, meaning people inhale and exhale contaminated air from above the nose and below the chin while using them.
The Chief Creative Designer, Stefano Riznyk, is a local businessman who created Antonio Stefano to raise money for the veterinary bills of abused and abandoned dogs. It started as a company that sold high-end ties hand-made in Italy. When COVID hit, he redesigned the ties into masks and then went on to engineer a highly protective mask. His team studied the masks on the market and their protective features. This businessman actually went to fashion school on behalf of his charity and realized that cotton masks, his first choice, would be a mistake. The biggest risk for COVID is that people leave a ‘cloud’ of moisture where they speak; this cloud can linger for 3 ½ hours. COVID hangs on to the moisture and the next person inhales it, and that’s how it spreads. Cotton absorbs moisture so it would pose a major risk as you could potentially be breathing next to a concentration of the virus.
The team then researched various wicking fabrics and sought a balance between protection and the ability to breathe. Wicking fabrics, as found in sportswear, let the moisture ‘slide off’, repelling it. Antonio Stefano created a mask with powerful wicking properties. This was followed by a lining, to again protect. The third part was a container for a PM2.5 filter. Without the filter, the mask offers 3 layers of protection, with the filter, 8. Now, they had a safe mask that protected the person wearing it. The other problem the N95 presents, even if you could get one, is the pressure on the face and ears due to the elastic around the ear used for the seal; the team engineered at spandex tie mechanism to prevent that problem yet completely seal the face comfortably for day-long use.
The latest medical opinions state that even 6 feet is not enough for social distancing, and mention that breathing droplets can travel three times the distance. The easiest way to catch COVID is to breathe in the virus. A recent article illustrated that an abandoned home had COVID, that had entered through water droplets in the sewage system (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-26/coronavirus-in-vacant-apartment-suggests-toilets-role-in-spread); one cannot take any risks as we never know which of us will be fatally affected; many young persons have perished, not just our senior members. Antonio Stefano masks are available in 15 Italian designs for a world-class look. The PM 2.5 filters are easily available online for under a dollar, depending on quantity.
Antonio Stefano has 15 different designs from Lake Como, Italy, and this week is coming out with light and dark blue versions for people who work at companies that do not allow prints. The company is now offering custom masks for employers who want to show their employees they care about their safety. Interestingly, many of their customers are purchasing them for their elder parents and children, rather than themselves!
For further questions you may visit www.AntonioStefano.com, which also has a blog detailing COVID issues. Their email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
