MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — May 21, 2020 — North Carolina natives Renfro Corp. and Wake Forest Baptist Health teamed up to design and manufacture the Nightingale™ Mask to help communities across the country combat the spread of COVID-19. The Nightingale face mask was designed to help consumers abide by the Center for Disease Control’s recommendation to wear cloth face coverings, and was tested by medical professionals to ensure superior fit, reusability and protection. The mask is manufactured in the USA.
“Renfro’s century of experience combined with facilities that are uniquely suited to produce textiles at great scale — along with Wake Forest Baptist Health’s medical expertise – enabled us to swiftly convert our manufacturing equipment over to face mask production and commercialize the product in ten days,” shared Stan Jewell, president and CEO of Renfro. “This speed and scale are allowing us to produce more than one million masks every week, and we plan to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.”
“The Nightingale Mask features an innovative tri-zone ergonomic design, superior comfort, protective properties, and is washable and reusable,” added Dr. William M. Satterwhite, III, JD, chief wellness officer at Wake Forest Baptist Health. “Our early internal research identified a wide range of particle filtration efficiencies of various materials in face masks, both homemade and commercially manufactured. Consequently, we were able to use this knowledge to work with Renfro to develop a product in which we have high confidence. Additionally, we created a unique design that addresses common problems in most face masks: a lack of breathability, discomfort caused by elastic straps, and a mask shape that conforms poorly to the wearer’s face. As a result, the final product features soft, adjustable ties for a secure and customizable fit, and nose and mouth pockets to increase breathability and comfort, and yet is constructed of high-performing materials. We are very proud of the product we brought to life together with Renfro.”
The Nightingale Mask may be purchased for $7.50 at www.nightingalesafe.com.
This announcement comes after Renfro and Wake Forest Baptist Health’s collaboration on the first batch of Nightingale face masks, 390,000 of which were distributed throughout Winston-Salem, N.C., as part of the city’s Mask the City initiative this past April.
Posted May 26, 2020
Source: Renfro Corp.
