Protective wear ranging from anti-bacterial fabric to masks, Decks Pte Ltd introduces three new products to stay safe in.
With the onset of COVID-19, companies have either been swept away by the unpredictable nature of the period or have learnt to survive. DECKS Pte Ltd has proven to be the exception. They are one of the first few companies to lead the market with their creative, fashion forward solutions in tackling the pandemic and other health concerns.
The idea behind the three products, Viroblock, Anti-mosquito wear and Proshield masks, is credited to Kelvyn Chee, who was motivated to find a solution after his father’s company suffered losses due to the SARS outbreak that hit Singapore few years ago.
VIROBLOCK
Viroblock teams up with sports apparel brand, SP MAX, to prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses on textiles, along with PROX, a line of protective masks that has anti-viral as well as anti-bacterial properties.
One of the technologies used is HeiQ, a Swiss technology that prevents the transmission of bacteria and viruses on textiles by adding a layer of protection during the textile treatment. One of the many advantages of HeiQ based products is that they are safe and lasts up to 30 washes.
A chemical reaction between the silver technology and oppositely charged virus molecules make them bind permanently to their Sulphur groups. This causes the Liposomes, which are fatty spherical vesicles, to deplete the viral membrane of its cholesterol content, causing the silver to destroy the virus.
It’s especially useful when applied to masks as most people tend to touch their face and mask once every thirty seconds, which further increases the risk of catching an infection.
ANTI-MOSQUITO WEAR
The second product makes use of an anti-bug technology built into sports apparel. Useful for avoiding dengue, it is a quick and easy way to repel insects, bugs, ants and flies. Their line of sportswear also includes an earpiece wire loop function (say goodbye to tangled cables) and is made of exceptionally quick dry lightweight fabric to stay cool.
PROSHIELD
The idea came about when prices for masks began to rise due to COVID-19. As an alternative to disposable masks, he came up with reusable ones then finally created over 30 mask samples that were tested repeatedly. The first set of cotton masks were eventually distributed to the Singaporean market. Later to accommodate filter in the masks, Chee fitted them with two layers of bamboo cotton – an idea inspired by underwear.
The filters went through several versions as well; from a Double-Layered filter to Single layer that were initially sewn together, but later attached by lasers. The final version of the mask consisted of a filter attached to achieve maximum protection with BFE (Bacterial Filtration Efficiency), PFE (Particle Filtration Efficiency) and over 98% of VFE (Virus Filtration Efficiency) even after 50 washes.
The range includes five variations of reusable face masks, ranging from core to flex version. All masks come in a fitted stretchable loop and are shaped to provide maximum comfort for the user. They are reusable, washable and have been dermatologically tested. The Proshield masks were donated to the students from Sian Chay Medical Institution, Tzu Chi Singapore, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution, Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution, Migrant Worker Centre and NKF and Boon Lay Garden Primary School during the COVID period.