By Kevin Reilly
Like many of you, this past 12 months have been an almost overwhelming avalanche of change, stress, and “new normals.” While COVID-19 has been a universal experience for all, it has also changed our individual needs and behaviors patterns in both large and small ways.
We all know that wearing masks is imperative to keeping ourselves and our communities safe, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t all struggle with the application and functionality of masks when it comes to our everyday lives. For those of us that use glasses, hearing aids, or other accessories, the daily battle between our masks and our ability to function can be an exercise in futility. Masks with ear loops are great for most people, but they don’t work for all.
As the father of a child with hearing loss, Kevin was inspired to make sure his daughter could stay safe without losing her hearing device.
My business partner, David McClellan, saw some clear issues with standard masks right away when mandates started rolling out. How do you keep people safe when ear loops might hinder services offered by small businesses such as hair salons? How do you make masks that are functional for people who need to wear hearing aids or glasses?
As the parent of a child with a hearing loss, this question hit home. It’s generally a struggle to make sure my daughter remembers to wear her hearing aid, let alone get her to avoid the frustration of wearing a looped mask and not lose her device. I don’t even want to count how many we have lost over the years since she first started wearing one at age 5. Finding something that worked for her and other people that use hearing aids was imperative for our sanity and our checkbooks.
That’s how the KIWY mask was born. It is a loop-free, 97 percent organic cotton, two-layer, reversible mask designed to clasp around your neck instead of around your ears. It literally takes the ears out of the equation while allowing for the user to “Keep It With You.” We hope this mask is a positive example of functional innovation for those of us who want to keep using and not losing our hearing aids, glasses, and other accessories while also respecting public health directives that benefit the entire community.
Kevin Reilly is the cofounder of KIWY Masks, based in Minnesota. For more, see kiwymask.com.
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I wanted to create a story that not only celebrated the beauty of differences but also conveyed the importance of empathy and understanding. My heart was set on crafting a tale that could empower children with hearing loss while also educating their peers about the significance of inclusivity.