Startups Leading Quiet Revolution in Global Pollution Masks Market

Startups are coming up with new and innovative designs, funding plans and organizational strategies to try and garner a higher market share in the global pollution masks market

A small startup dealing in the pollution masks market, Cambridge Mask, launched a campaign to raise $32,000 on Kickstarter on May 30, for a smart mask that can actively monitor ambient air quality. In the face of established giants such as 3M and Honeywell, with better supply side management and liquidation, the Kickstarter campaign may be counted as a watershed moment, of sorts. It represents the sort of financial innovation being seen around the world, where good products are ‘crowdfunded’ into existence given consumer interest. Given that cities such as Beijing and New Delhi are home to a growing middle class with severe pollution problems, campaigns of the sort run by Cambridge Mask show the face of increasingly muscular startups operating in the global pollution masks market.

Beijing: One of the Most Polluted Cities in the World

While China has improved relatively in terms of pollution, standard of living is still considerably low given the severity of the problem. The problem is so bad, that traces of smog from mainland China has been observed to reach as far off as California. Air pollution in China is estimated to kill around 1.1 million people every year. Beijing, the city that suffers an “airpocalypses” every now and then, regularly reaches a PM2.5 level of over 100 micrograms per cubic meter, six times what the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) considers safe. However, with constant media spotlight and national discussion, awareness about the problem has grown. And with a rising middle class, better access to education and relatively high per capita income, Chinese people have the wherewithal and the funds to negate the pollution menace at least in their day to day lives.

Pollution Masks Market: An Overview

By virtue of its newness, Cambridge Mask has found it easier to integrate new trends and technologies into their work, where older companies may suffer somewhat due to the nature of their setup. As per TechSci Research report “Global Pollution Masks Market By Type, By End User, By Sales Channel, By Filter Type, By Region, Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2022”, 3M and Honeywell are two of the major pollution masks suppliers in the world. Neither company, however, considers pollution masks to be their primary product. 3M is a multinational conglomerate that produces more than 55,000 products, including adhesives, abrasives, laminates, dental and orthodontic products, electronic materials, etc. Similarly, Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company that produces thermostats, sensors, security alarm systems, air cleaners and dehumidifiers etc. Young startups such as Cambridge Mask occupiy a specific niche where they can utilize cutting edge technology to facilitate its processes at their own time, given that the pollution masks market is not as rabidly competitive as perhaps some other sectors may be.

Cambridge Mask: One Among Many Innovators in the Pollution Masks Market

Current Cambridge Mask products come in a tri-layered setting, with one primary filter layer (for larger particles such as dust and PM10), a three-ply micro particulate filter (PM 2.5) and a military grade carbon filter (for chemical, biological and nuclear warfare protection). Currently the company has big plans and major ambitions. As per TechSci estimates, around 35% of Cambridge Mask business comes from China, and a majority still comes from Britain, with plans to establish a foothold in India, Thailand and other Asian markets. The company is one ofmany innovative young startups covered in the report “Global Pollution Masks Market By Type, By End User, By Sales Channel, By Filter Type, By Region, Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2022”. 

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