MANILA, Philippines – With the world put to a standstill, we have seen how industries in different corners of the world sought to find ways to stand resilient amid uncertainties. The fashion industry is no exception from the harsh impact of the COVID-19 pandemic–especially in the ongoing lockdowns put in place to mitigate risks of infection. However, the situation also saw how the industry, with its innate capability to creatively adapt, soldiered on not just for survival but to heed the call for change.
Thus the rise of designers making protective essentials needed in the new normal. From PPEs to face masks, designers, upcoming and established alike, have directed resources and efforts to respond to the needs for protection for frontliners and everyday consumers.
Among this growing roster of designers shaping their product line to adapt to the new normal is premier local couturier Albert Andrada with the release of Aerian Essentials. The brand has proudly launched its first ever line of wearable face masks that actively kills viruses upon contact.
Designed and developed by Andrada’s team, Aerian Essentials kicked off with three design variants: premium, luxewear, and classic. The Aerian Premium masks are designed for everyday use, while the Aerian Luxewear masks are designed in the designer’s signature opulent colors and prints. On the other hand, the Aerian Classic masks incorporate indigenous prints from The Kadama Collective.
Aerian Nanosilver has been developed with patented technology that safely and binds nanosilver particles less than 5 nanometers (5nm) in size to cloth, powering its anti-viral properties. The nanosilver does not leach, making it safe for the user and the environment.
While majority of masks filter and simply block particles, Aerian’s protective wearable line boasts of a layer of nCamM™ nanosilver that is known to kill viruses. nCamM™ nanosilver particles are extremely small, measuring 5 nanometers in size, which makes it considerably smaller than the average virus.
Each Aerian protective wearable has three layers, namely an exterior that blocks particles, the nCamM™ middle layer that kills viruses upon contact, and a protective inner layer that enhances the item’s longevity. The microcidal effectiveness has been tested with over 650 viruses and bacteria species including the H3N2 virus, and other flu viruses.
The patented nanosilver fabric is the brainchild of Dr. Liu Hongjun, a chemist renowned worldwide for his work in the field of green technology, and Doctor of Chemistry from the National University of Singapore (NUS). A long time advocate, Dr. Liu first forayed into his work with nanosilver by purifying contaminated water into safe drinking water for disaster-stricken areas. To date, Dr. Liu has 20 highly-impacted published research papers and 31 international patents to his name.
Under his guidance, the nCamM™ material used in Aerian products have undergone rigorous rounds of testing that adhere to the standards of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS).
ILAC is the international organisation for accreditation bodies operating in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011 and involved in the assessment and accreditation of calibration laboratories (using ISO/IEC 17025), testing laboratories (using ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing laboratories (using ISO 15189) and inspection bodies (using ISO/IEC 17020).
Aerian Essentials is committed to products that are accessible and budget-friendly. As all of Aerian Essential products are reusable; they are a better alternative to single-use masks, allowing you to reduce your impact on the environment.
The Aerian Classic is available for PhP 299, the Aerian Premium mask is available at PhP 799, and Aerian Luxewear is available for P1999. Each mask can last up to four (4) months.