BARTLETT, Tenn. (WMC) – Face shields are becoming more popular in addition to masks. A local manufacturer has started making it their goal to get it in classrooms.
If it involves 3D glasses American Paper Optics has done it all, but the president of the company John Jerit says the pandemic has pushed them to come up with a new product.
“We needed something to do and there was obviously a lot of need out there for PPE equipment,” he said.
Inside the warehouse in Bartlett, employees are making face shields by hand.
They’ve made 5,000 so far, and in the last three weeks the face shields have been bought by the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce and used at a wedding.
Now, they are working to make some for schools.
“They’re really more economical in the long run than the traditional paper mask because you can use them for a week even two weeks, cleaning them off each day,” Jerit explained. “We wanted to produce this so that it looked basically like the same stuff that could be used in a medical setting.”
Schools in Saint Louis and Kansas City have already purchased some.
Youth Villages in Memphis is getting some customized shields as well.
“We developed also a customizable one where the child or the teacher can write the name in with a sharpie so that that mask is identifiable,” said Jerit.
He added that some parents have started purchasing them for their kids.
The company has also reached out to more local school districts, offering to help supply students with what’s sure to be a valued accessory for the upcoming school year.
Copyright 2020 WMC. All rights reserved.
