Face Mask Insert
Made in Uganda from recycled plastic
In
Deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, I partnered with Takataka Plastics in Uganda to help them develop a new business sector. Together we brought recycled plastics into the medical space.
We worked with a team of local medical students to understand the needs of clinics and hospitals throughout Uganda, including their quality requirements for medical products. Material samples and CAD prototypes helped us deduce that Uganda is primed and ready to pioneer an industry of crafting medical products from locally sourced and recycled plastics. We chose to enter this space with a COVID face mask insert designed to make the educational experience of local school children more safe and comfortable.
Remolding at Scale
After confirming effective mold design with an SLA printed prototype, a local machine shop produced the gleaming mold that will go on to produce 20,000 mask inserts for Ugandan school children. Designing parts and molds around the constraints of a hand-operated injection machine presented a unique set of challenges.
Upcycled PPE
From CAD models in California to 100% recycled plastic PPE in Ugandan schools in a quick five months. Representing Takataka Plastic’s first foray into the medical space, the face mask insert is as protective as it is sustainable.