nir-vana innovation network

This UK SME, based in North Wales, specialises in the design and supply of reusable, antiviral cloth face coverings/snoods to a range of business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) customers. The product results from 10 years of research and development by a team of scientists and virologists. The team were successful in developing and mass manufacturing the protective snood at the start of the year and have saturated the immediate UK market due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The product on offer is a reusable, single layer face covering made from a trademarked, antiviral textile capable of blocking and reducing the transmission of viral particles and infections. The textile offers antiviral protection in the form of a soft, cloth snood which has been tested and certified to ISO18184:2019. The snood offers a comfortable alternative to disposable and homemade/fashion masks which do not provide specific antiviral protection.

The client therefore seeks a distribution service agreement from small to multinational sized distribution companies in all partner countries, with the exception of Spain, New Zealand, and the United States of America. Such partners are sought to engage in a distribution agreement because the client wishes to enter new retail markets and increase overseas trade.

Potential partners are expected to have knowledge and routes into regional/national retail markets and existing relations or access to various buyers i.e. wholesalers, end-user retailers, or other retail industry organisations.

The client hopes to successfully integrate the product across international retail markets, significantly increase overseas trade, and enhance the brand’s global presence as a result of international cooperation.

Advantages & innovations

This reusable face covering builds on 10 years of R&D into antiviral textiles and offers protection against the transmission of viral infections in the form of a comfortable, cloth snood. The textile utilises a unique protein coating capable of capturing and disabling viral infections, droplets, and aerosols in the immediate surroundings. Such capabilities have been tested and certified to the ISO18184:2019 standard – “Textiles – Determination of antiviral activity in textile products”. The antiviral textile means the snood does not require three layers of material protection – which homemade and fashion face coverings do in order to be more effective. The soft, single-layer snood offers comfort and breathability whilst ensuring two-way protection. The secure snood design reduces the escape of viral particles from the user and inhibits the transmission of infections from other people as well as, from the surroundings. The snood is reusable and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable face masks which must be discarded after just one use. This is also more economically beneficial as users only have to invest in the offering once whereas, must continually invest in large quantities of disposable masks – proving more expensive in the long run.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

The offering client seeks experienced distribution companies, of SME to large, multi-national size, from most partner countries (with the exception of Spain, New Zealand, and USA) to engage in a distribution service agreement. Prospective partners are expected to have extensive knowledge and routes into various local, national, and/or international retail markets. Target markets include end-user retail, wholesale retail, and other retail sector organisations. Potential partners are required to indicate potential annual volume capabilities, as minimum order quantities would need to be adhered to as set by the offering company. The client is open to a non-exclusive trial period of 6 months in order to assess a potential distributing partner’s monthly performance. If performance criteria are met, the client hopes to engage in a long-term partnership whereby, the distributing partner would benefit from an exclusive contract for that market/region.