[Real-time] The haze has come back, and the flood control mask has ushered in a “spring”.

A number of data shows that the haze caused by hazy weather has directly stimulated the popularity of products such as masks and air purifiers. It is undeniable that smog has spawned an industry. In the smog economy, who is masking the market cake?

According to the statistics of China Textile Commerce Association, the annual demand for various types of protective masks in China is around 800 million. According to its use of masks, industrial protective masks, medical hygiene masks and civilian masks are classified into three categories. The annual demand for masks for civil use is about 200 million, accounting for 25% of the demand.

Seize the initiative of the "foreign" brand

The face of the "3M" mask is familiar to those who have chosen a tamper-proof mask. But what is the company behind it? There are not many people who know the information. A friend who works in Beijing told Xiao Bian: “There is almost no “3M” advertisement in the country, but when the fog is hazy, there are masks of this brand everywhere on the street. When I buy a mask, the subconscious 's just found this brand in Taobao."

What kind of company is "3M"?

In many people's eyes, "3M" is a mask company. But in fact, this is a "hundred-year-old" from the United States. 3M's full name is Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company), founded in 1902, this company is known for its innovation and product variety. In more than 100 years, 3M has developed 3 new products every two days on average, with more than 6,000 varieties, including traceless hooks, sticky notes, credit cards, scouring pads and mops.

For the 3M mask we know well, it was born 50 years ago. In 1967, 3M based on the proprietary technology of non-woven fabrics and electrostatic fiber filter cotton, began to design and produce dust masks, initially to help workers such as mining, smelting and furnaces to cope with the harsh occupational environment. Established in Shanghai in November 1984, 3M China was established in Shanghai. It is the first wholly foreign-owned enterprise established in China outside the Special Economic Zone and has invested more than US$700 million in China. Initially, it sold industrial protective masks to domestic factories. The customers were heavy industries such as minerals, steel and shipyards.

Since the beginning of the haze, the domestic demand for masks has soared. 3M quickly entered the daily mask protection market because of its advantages in the field of industrial protective masks. As the previous 3M masks for civilian retail and industrial sales accounted for 28% for a long time, 3M masks were basically in short supply in China, and fakes were rampant. 3M brought masks from 3M factories all over the world to China for sale. According to statistics, in 2013, the value of masks sold by 3M in China reached more than US$100 million. After that, there was no detailed sales data for each year.

Not long ago, the circle of friends and microblogging reported that 3M masks had exceeded formaldehyde rumors. According to the person in charge of the 3M company in China, all 3M respiratory protection products, including masks, did not include formaldehyde. At the same time, they were tested by national and local authorities. The formaldehyde content of the product did not exceed the standard.

"Inexplicable" Japan's heavy pine fire

Compared with 3M masks, Japan's Chungsong is not well-known in the country, but it was once out of stock, and many cottage brands have emerged. How did this mask get fired? It is reported that in 2013, when Shinzo Abe visited the Fukushima nuclear power plant, he wore a heavy protective mask. Chai Jing was also photographed wearing the brand mask.

On January 9th, WeChat Certification issued a statement issued by the "Chongsong Institute", the Chinese agent of the Chung Sang Institute (STS), saying that due to the low difficulty of imitation of mask products, there have been many kinds of copycat brands. These products have nothing to do with heavy pine.

Foreign mask brands have seized the market's opportunities, but the user experience of their products is not "perfect". For example, 3M masks are "scarred" by some users due to poor performance in breathing, wearing comfort, and other aspects. And with the growing experience in the use of masks, the consumer's vision of choice is also more diversified.

What is the domestic mask industry?

Local mask brands also "into" demand for masks. In September 2012, Shanghai Xingnuo Kanglun Fiber pioneered the development of the first green shield to effectively protect PM2.5. The appearance of the Green Shield resembles that of an ordinary mask. It avoids the exaggerated feeling and discomfort of the 3M masks. It has created 2 million sales records in the three months since its launch. In the high haze era, the sales of the green shield mask Tmall flagship store broke one million a week. In 2013, the Green Shield was purchased by traffic police in Beijing, Jinan, Dalian and Nantong.

China's mask brand market share is low

With the increase in demand for masks, more and more companies have begun to target this market. Statistics show that before 2013, there were about 500 enterprises producing masks in China, and the current number has grown to nearly 1,000. It is estimated that about 600 million protective masks will be produced each year. According to statistics from the China Industry Information Network, there are a large number of brands in the mask industry in China, and there are few influential mask brands. In 2015, the industry brand market share was relatively low, and the top three companies’ brand share did not exceed 25%.

2015 China Industry mask pattern of brand competition Source: China Industrial Information Network

What is the manufacturing standard for domestic anti-mite masks?

It is understood that the current national mandatory standards for masks are not yet fully applicable to civilian anti-haze masks. GB2626-2006 "Respiratory protective equipment - self-absorbing filter type particulate respirator", GB19083-2010 "medical protective mask technical requirements", YY0469-2011 "medical surgical mask." According to the standard classification, the first one belongs to labor protection product standards, and the latter two belong to medical protection product standards.

From November 1, 2016, the National Standardization Administration of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) issued GB/T 32610-2016 "Protective Masks for Everyday Protection" and it has been officially implemented. In order to protect the safety of the public wearing protective masks, the standard specifies the protective effect and wear safety performance of fine particles (PM2.5). However, according to Xinhua News Agency, GB/T 32610-2016 “Protective Masks for Everyday Protective Mask” is a recommended standard , and it is also not mandatory with the T/CTCA 1-2015 “PM2.5 Protective Mask” group standards .

In this regard, Gao Fei, deputy secretary-general of the China National Textile and Apparel Council’s Safety, Health and Protective Products Committee, said: “Although group standards are not mandatory standards, companies using this standard for production will be tested by the relevant national authorities according to this standard. Group standards have more comprehensive and strict requirements on product quality and performance."

“Technical Specifications for Daily Protective Masks” divides the protective effect of masks into four levels. The level of protective effect is set according to the air quality category in the national air quality standard. It is divided into four levels from low to high: D, C, Class B and Class A.

Class A protective masks are used when the concentration of PM2.5 in the outdoor reaches 500 micrograms per cubic meter, which means serious pollution.

Grade B respirator is suitable for serious pollution (350 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter) and below pollution;

Grade C applies to severe (PM2.5 concentration 250 micrograms per cubic meter) and below pollution;

Grade D applies to moderate (PM2.5 concentration 150 micrograms per cubic meter) and below pollution.

Children's standard blank

The aforementioned "Technical Code for Daily Protective Masks" clearly states that "it does not apply to children's masks." A salesman of a well-known mask manufacturer in China stated that children's masks are exactly the same material as adults but only a "reduced version" of adults is to take care of children's faces in order to achieve better airtightness and fit. . A Beijing citizen said in an interview with the Beijing Youth Daily: “For a 5-year-old child, even a child’s money is still too big. 3M has the smallest number of breathing valve masks. After tightening the elastic band to the child, Some suffocates."

In response, Zhao Yuyu, senior engineer of the China Industrial Textiles Industry Association, said, “This standard does not cover protective masks for children, mainly because the difference in physical characteristics of children and adolescents in China is large at this stage, and experimental data for this particular group of children have accumulated. Still need to be perfected.” Each child is the aptitude of parents, and the gap in the standard of children’s masks has caused people to worry.