France Has 20 Million Domestic "Textile Masks" Backlog. China'S "Disposable Masks" Become Popular

Paris - the French praised the patriotism of their textiles and luxury goods companies when production facilities shifted from the latest fashion to the production of face masks to protect the public from the infection of coronavirus.

Now, however, the companies that transfer masks say they need to help sell 20 million masks. They asked the French government to provide help to promote and find buyers for the industry's unsold products throughout the country.

Hundreds of textile and garment manufacturers responded to the government's call for the production of millions of masks more advanced than homemade versions. Last month, Emmanuel Macron, the US president, displayed a military test, embroidered mask with three colors, and advertised the "made in France" mask.

Within weeks, however, market demand for domestic masks has stagnated. These masks are sold in supermarkets and drugstores at a price of only a few euros, or they can be sold in bulk for free distribution by businesses and local governments. But manufacturers and governments acknowledge that many suppliers and consumers still choose to buy cheaper disposable masks from China.

Guillaume Gilbert Guillaume Gibault, founder of fashion underwear LeSlip Francais, told French public radio RFI that "they are easier to buy."

Some textile companies complain that the French government has not yet proved the effectiveness of their masks in filtering small particles, which slows their ability to enter the market, making it impossible for people to start out from their homes and need masks in stores or public transport.

A company manager said, "we don't know how the pandemic will evolve. We do not know what instructions the government will give, nor do we know what kind of equipment the professionals need. So today, yes, we have 600 thousand residual stocks of masks, which obviously have a great impact on our company. "

This week, a group of industry representatives gathered with two junior government ministers to discuss the problem of excess masks, and the broader concerns about the health of fashion, textiles and luxury goods manufacturers under the economic impact and long-term impact of the epidemic.

After the meeting, the ministers expressed their appreciation and promised that the government would help publicize the environmental protection and benefits of the French masks to dealers, local governments and other potential customers, and to find buyers for the remaining stock masks at home and abroad.

French Minister of economic affairs Agnes Pannier Runacher told French RTL television that the government's goal is to persuade big buyers to switch from disposable masks to reusable washable textile masks. Gibault and Yves Dubief, chairman of the French Textile Industry Federation, agreed to lead the visit.

At the beginning of June, the French Textile Industry Federation first struck off this surplus alarm bell.

Some French companies are dissatisfied with this, because it is the French government that urges many of them to enter the mask manufacturing industry and increase their production capacity so that France can produce 5 million masks a day and sell them or give them to the public, local governments and enterprises by mid May.

The French government said last week that part of the joint mission of the company and the government would be to "support the industry's ability to adjust production capacity in the coming months to meet the collective needs of the mask industry". Dresis believes that the use of trade barriers to prevent large-scale imports may help to help his company out of trouble.