Closca Mask | Closca Design

Looking at the new Closca Mask, it might seem that the claim of the brand, "​Inspire  Change​", was created by and for it and thinking about these enclosed months.   But no.   It is simply that both concepts, the mask and the motto, respond to the same spirit  of Closca: ​practical and beautiful design at the service of reflection​.   This spirit had already been recognized by the world with the Gold award in the  Delta ADI-FAD 2016 and the Red Dot Design awards in 2015 and 2017. Their products  are featured not only on their website but also in design cathedrals such as the  MoMA and Guggenheim museums in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris or  the Victoria and Albert museum in London.  But what is Closca Mask? The innovative ​reusable mask​ by the Valencian company  (Spain) redesigns the unexpected symbol of the pandemic. The mask has become  the icon of the "Age of the Coronavirus", but much earlier it was already a  characteristic object of the 21st century. 

As you know, it is the century of the unbreathable air of the big cities, full of NOX and  2.5 particulate matters, far above the levels established by the World Health  Organization.     "I wish there didn't have to be a design mask to get out there"  The air can't be seen (close up), but it immediately ​forces you to look​ at all the  photos from New Delhi, Beijing, New York, Madrid, London...   Polluted air takes the form of masks. They're what you see in passers-by. That's all  you notice. Masks are transgressive because they impose a change.  Closca Mask covers our mouths, but it speaks loudly on behalf of the brand. It makes  us remember that there is an urban environment that sickens and ​kills millions of  people every year​.   Closca proposes that we redefine aesthetics and functionality in that adverse  environment to reform it. Their mission is to raise awareness and provide  sustainability in your daily life.   Carlos Ferrando is the CEO and founder and is very clear about this: "I wish there  didn't have to be a design mask to be able to go out on the streets". He believes that  a ​cultural change​ will come because "for the first time for many people, we will stop  seeing the facial expressions of those around us".   And, at a time when we greet each other with clasping elbows and a tender hug  seems like a crime, we wonder if he is not right.   So should we buy them or what? It's up to you. But, mostly, we have to think about  them. Design applied to change can only make sense if we think about ​the  contexts​.   That is why the Closca Mask proposal seeks to "achieve a better future", ​more  sustainable, reflective, honest and beautiful​. Less disposable and more persistent,  more authentic.   A world without masks, in short.  With Closca Mask, Carlos Ferrando wants to raise awareness. He wants to make you  think: yes, masks are necessary today, but let's ask ourselves why. And let's think  about ​what has to change​ so that we don't need them anymore.

Functional design... and an unexpected function  Closca Mask is designed to help you avoid ​smog, pollution, microorganisms and  pollen​.   But then came something no one expected: COVID-19.  Closca has found in the sudden pandemic an even more urgent utility than air  pollution and a broader reach than the big city and more diverse than its buyer  persona.  The new reality rules, but this mask was prepared. It's meant to last, it's ​washable​,  foldable (and you keep it in its nice bag), comfortable and suitable for different adult  sizes, because it has a velcro clasp.   It is available in white, grey and black, each with five variations.  The anti-coronavirus function is achieved with the same filters used in ​FFP2 masks​,  homologated for this purpose. The mask comes with six filters. You insert one in the  interior compartment and you are ready to go out.  Since they don't rub against anything, they don't touch your face, nor do you wet  them with your breath... they last longer.   Obviously, the coronavirus has disrupted the plans of the company. And who hasn't  been affected? Carlos Ferrando says that "we had agreements with major global  brands", which have been put on standby, but the brand still believes in its  principles. "In the purpose of the brand we will find the strengths in the face of  adversity".  What philosophy is that? ​The commitment to what is practical and beautiful, no  matter what​. Carlos Ferrando stands up for the values the company holds since  2013: "We know how to make designs, icons and symbols and make them useful".   In short, everything at Closca focuses on facilitating sustainable urban  micro-mobility (leave your home with Closca Helmet); providing solutions for  polluted air (breathe easy with Closca Mask); and reducing single-use plastics (drink  water without throwing away plastic with Closca Bottle and locate water fountains  with Closca Water App). 

Donation program. The success of a co-responsible  community  The positive transformation that Closca advocates is also in the hands of their  customers. The Closca Mask is on pre-sale at www.closca.com, non-profit, since every  unit sold will turn into a donation of five more sanitary masks for the population at  risk: health workers and our grandparents, the most vulnerable. 

Closca will donate more than ​10,000 sanitary masks​, starting with the staff of the  Alzira hospital (Valencia, Spain) and high-risk groups. They will extend this solidarity  initiative to more hospitals and high-risk groups in other countries, thanks to the  purchases/donations of their customers, who in the first two days of the launch have  already surpassed that number.   The motto "Inspire Change" could not be more appropriate today. A change in the  production model, in priorities and in aesthetics.