Crisis brings out the best in people — everyday people doing the right thing —  for themselves and their communities. OCTO Safety Devices co-founders Natasha Duwin and Tobias Franoszek were inspired by the many stewards of humanity who shepherded us through a challenging year. In an interview with Thrive Global, Duwin and Franoszek outline their entrepreneurial journey, developing an advanced respirator mask for year-round use, when a global pandemic interrupted their plans.

Read it here: Thrive Global - Natasha Duwin & Tobias Franoszek of OCTO Safety Devices: “Stay calm during times of tension”

CDC guidelines differ from President Joe Biden’s opinion, which isn’t the same opinion shared with air travel magnates who insist that wearing a mask while traveling remains a must. The ongoing mask controversy no longer exclusively applies to wear for personal protection due to COVID. Numerous occupations have and will continue to wear masks (construction, factory, emergency services) regardless of ongoing controversy. Founder of The Builder’s Daily and Forbes contributor John McManus pulls back the curtain on the value of respirator masks in year-round use environments highlighting how technology and design have improved comfort and performance in next gen products.

Read the article in Forbes Magazine: Mask Confusion: As Workplace Health Becomes Job No. 1, Respirators Lean High-Tech

Authority Magazine recently interviewed OCTO Safety Devices co-founders Natasha Duwin and Tobias Franoszek. The duo shed light on their personal and professional journeys, leading them to the creation of the OCTO Respirator Mask. Reflecting on the coronavirus pandemic, Natasha and Tobias shared thoughts on what it means to be a hero, the notion of heroism itself, and why heroes aren't a mythological concept - rather, an everyday reality. The interview comes at a time when we're still in the throes of the pandemic, yet a light is emerging on the horizon as vaccinations and a sense of civic responsibility increase. As Natasha and Tobias note in the interview, quoting Amanda Gorman: "There is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."

Read the full interview here https://medium.com/authority-magazine/heroes-of-the-covid-crisis-how-natasha-duwin-tobias-franoszek-of-octo-safety-devices-stepped-up-34a2e5635019

Masks are everywhere. Reusable masks. Disposable masks. N95s and face shields and helmets. We’ve seen them all. But which ones actually work?

We recently sat down with BBC to talk about the current influx of high-tech helmets coming to the market. We were honored to be included in this story and have the chance to share our perspective. While we don’t believe helmets will become mainstream, we were admittedly impressed by the creators of these new helmets.

“Helmets have the advantage that they show people’s faces,” said OCTO Safety Devices co-founder Natasha Duwin. “You can see smiles and human expressions, and have a very strong sense of security.” 

However, a sharp look doesn’t equate to full protection. We love seeing innovation in this field, but ...

A small selection of Spanish-language articles from around the world:

Huffington Post, España edition
https://www.huffingtonpost.es/entry/crean-una-mascarilla-reutilizable-que-filtra-el-99-de-las-particulas-nocivas-en-el-aire_es_5f47fef5c5b6cf66b2b4db49

Business Insider, España
https://www.businessinsider.es/crean-nueva-mascarilla-reutilizable-dura-12-horas-puesta-704371  ...

The September edition of Brickell Magazine features the amazing Nathalie Cadet-James @LuxeFete wearing the dark ORM.

Read more here http://digital.brickellmag.com/bm/9_20/index.html?page=54

"After SARS, the government outlined ways the N95 needed to improve. The new OCTO Safety Device fixes most of those issues."

The COVID-19 pandemic propelled masks into mainstream culture. While many people are relying on ineffective fabric masks or reusable, outdated N95s, Fast Company spotlights the OCTO Respirator Mask (ORM) — a feat of science, design and safety that provides a true solution during global crisis. Testing to and surpassing all commonly held standard set by the N95 mask, ORM maintains easy breathability, offers true bi-directional protection to keep both the wearer and those around them safe, and starts killing pathogens on contact. Read more from Fast Company about how OCTO can protect you. 

https://www.fastcompany.com/90542976/this-reusable-mask-is-designed-to-fix-the-28-major-problems-with-the-n95