Before the reopening, designers spent time reimagining the future of dining in Italy. In reality, we have seen little plexiglass in restaurants and the regulations say that masks are not required at your table during consumption. Mask wearing and eating and drinking, you see, don’t go very well together. However, now a group of Italian designers want to make it much easier to wear a mask and enjoy a beverage at the same time. Say hello to DrinkSafe, a Made in Italy mask that allows the wearer to use a straw without removing the covering.
The DrinkSafe mask was created by Carlo Alberto Arzelà, Tristano Baldanzi and Stefano Bani from the town of Pontedera near Pisa. Their Tuscany-based agency has dreamed up a hypoallergenic mask that is washable and reusable. The mask has a central valve, through which you can insert a straw and thus enjoy a cocktail without having to remove your mask entirely. The valve in front of the mouth area allows the straw to pass through without allowing any air to pass through.
I guess this is the world we live in now. But I have to say, this mask kind of makes sense to me. As Italy has reopened, the largest gatherings of people without masks or appropriate social distancing seems to be centered around nightlife. We have seen crowds of people in Milan, Brescia, and Rome, with the government urging people to avoid these “movida” gatherings.
Masks are annoying and uncool, so of course people are going to want to remove them entirely when out with their friends for a relaxing aperitivo after months of lockdown. If DrinkSafe can increase mask wearing, then great. I’m sad to see the return of straws and their unnecessary plastic, but there are reusable options like the stainless steel straws we keep in our own home.
The masks are not yet widely available but the cost is projected to be around €5. For more information, you can email [email protected].
Fonte video/foto: Dissapore.com
