No, and yes. Both masks are functionally the same, as in they both block 95%+ or more contaminants. The difference is mainly regulatory and where the product is sold. N95 masks were originally intended to be sold in USA.
KN95 masks were originally sold in Asia. With the virus, FDA has relaxed import regulations and is allowing the importation of KN95 masks into the United States for civilians to use. If you'd like a more detailed explanation please visit 3M Website (Click Here)
No we do not. N95 masks are currently reserved for government agencies and hospitals. As you have seen already, there has been several companies who had their N95 masks seized. This is because no civilian is allowed to sell N95 masks. Therefore, if you are waiting to buy a N95 mask, it will probably be a very long time before they're available.
If you are a government agency or a hospital, please contact us and we know several verified 3M distributors who will sell to you directly (Please note: They will not sell to individuals, you will have to provide proof of your company).
As stated above, it takes approximately 7 business days for orders to ship. But it can take as long as 10 days depending on the amount of orders we receive day to day. We're trying our best to fulfill every order but our staff can only process so much. Especially now with social distancing regulations. We have been hiring more staff, and ordering more masks to be manufactured every week. But unfortunately, we just can't process every single order in 24 hours. We are a small business, and do not have the ability to provide Amazon Prime service.
We do, and we package masks every single day. But our staff can only ship so many packages a day, and that is why we have told everyone that there might be delays before your shipment is shipped.
Just as with processing, we are getting 100s of emails from customers every single day. We answer them in the order they come in, and takes no more than 24-48 hours for us to respond to you. Please avoid emailing us multiple times a day because it is causing even larger delays. If you have emailed us, we will most likely respond in less than a day. Please be patient and we will get to your email.
Thickness of a material has no bearing on whether the material can protect you. For example, latex gloves stop 99.9%+ of all contaminants yet they're millimeters thick. Carbon fiber can be thinner and lighter than steel, yet twice as strong. Our point is that the thickness of the material does not matter in this case. The only thing that matters is whether you are protected.
Our KN95's are rated to block 95% or more contaminants from passing through the fibers. This is achieved by using non-woven fabric, cotton, and meltblown layer. An easy way to test whether or not your masks do not allow for air to pass through is by wearing them. You will notice it is extremely difficult to breath through it and you might even get lightheaded after prolonged use. Another tactic some people claim works is by testing whether or not water will pass through them.
N95's and KN95's are produced differently and for different regions therefore they will differ in the shape and form. But as stated in their names, both masks are rated to block 95% or more contaminants..
The USA government is only allowing the importation of masks that are CE certified masks, like ours (Click Here For FDA FAQ)
Quote from FDA Website:
"The FDA also issued guidance outlining a policy to help expand the availability of general use face masks for the general public and respirators for health care professionals during this pandemic. The guidance applies to KN95 respirators as well. It explains that for the duration of the pandemic, when FDA-cleared or NIOSH-approved N95 respirators are not available, the FDA generally would not object to the importation and use of respirators without an EUA, including KN95 respirators. Although not required, if a KN95 respirator does not have an EUA, the FDA encourages importers to take the appropriate steps to verify the product’s authenticity prior to importing."
Our masks and the manufacturer are registered on FDA.gov. The masks are approved under regulation 878.4040 ( Click Here For Regulation Information)
Please visit the following link to find the current shipments (updated May 18th) manufacturer info: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRL/rl.cfm?lid=654027&lpcd=MSH
Note: If you placed an order before May 18th and received a masks from a different manufacturer, contact us and we will provide you with the appropriate
KN95 masks can't nor have ever been NIOSH certified. NIOSH is a USA government entity while KN95's are masks produced in Asia. FDA and CDC are temporarily allowing the importation of CE approved masks.
Quote from FDA Website:
"The guidance applies to KN95 respirators as well. It explains that for the duration of the pandemic, when FDA-cleared or NIOSH-approved N95 respirators are not available, the FDA generally would not object to the importation and use of respirators without an EUA, including KN95 respirators."
