Masks that grow into plants upon disposal

One of the lasting images of the pandemic is disposable masks discarded everywhere. Paper Seed Co, a social enterprise from Mangaluru in Karnataka, has come up with a face mask that will not only protect people from the virus, but when discarded, will bloom into a plant.

“The outer cover is made from cotton pulp utilizing various scarp materials collected from the garment industry, and the inner linings are made from soft cotton cloth. They are thick enough and effective to prevent infection,” says founder Nitin Vas.

The company started experimenting with masks when the pandemic hit. “Masks are essential for humans but they are also creating problems for other species. We see them lying on the streets and ending up in landfills, but forget that it also ends up in rivers and oceans creating irreparable damage to the environment and aquatic life,” 36-year-old Vas said.

Each mask is handmade and the outer layer is embedded with seeds of plants or vegetables. Although made from cotton, the masks are single-use only. Once used, one simply needs to throw the mask in soil, water it a little and in a short time, it will begin to grow into a plant.

Picture Credit : Google

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