Shawmut Corp. announced it has launched a small-size NIOSH-approved N95 filtering facepiece respirator to help protect people with smaller faces.

Shawmut’s U.S.-made smaller Protex N95 Particulate Respirator Model SR9520S will be sold alongside its medium/large Model SR9520 on Shawmut’s website and other popular sites for personal protective equipment, including Project N95 and Armbrust American.

“There was a significant size gap in the industry, leaving millions struggling with poor-fitting masks – or completely unprotected,” says James Wyner, CEO of Shawmut Corp. “After spending the last several months working through the research, design, development, testing and regulatory processes we are thrilled to provide this new and essential size.”

The Protex SR9520S N95 respirator is made with the same patent-pending design as its counterpart, but with a smaller form factor to optimize fit on smaller faces. All Shawmut N95 respirators are manufactured in the company’s West Bridgewater, MA, factory, using U.S.-based raw materials to help avoid shipping delays and reduce the need for foreign materials.

While smaller in form, the SR9520S respirator was designed for adult faces. Families considering an N95 respirator for their children should take the time to make sure the N95 fits properly: sealed around the face, straps are not loose and the wearer is comfortable enough not to remove it. To get the maximum protection from an N95 respirator, there should be no air leakage around the edges of the mask. Before depending on the small N95 for protection, the wearer should test for leaks and gaps all around the edges.

“It’s so important to have a good fit and seal to prevent any leakage around the edges of any mask you are wearing to get the protection it promises, and our experience shows that a high-quality N95 respirator offers the best fit and seal, especially compared to a KN95 mask or surgical face mask,” says Larry Weldon, VP of Global Quality for Shawmut. “Therefore, we needed to provide a solution that expanded the number of people that an N95 will fit.”

While the recently announced program to distribute 400 million N95 masks does not include any child-sized masks, it is unknown whether the Strategic National Stockpile includes any that are small in size.

The Protex N95 Particulate Respirator Model SR9520S was engineered with fit and comfort in mind for smaller faces. Shawmut innovated its patent-pending Protex All-Day-Comfort System that combines a uniquely soft but strong inner layer, incredibly lightweight but highly efficient and effective inner filtration layer, and high-sealing viscoelastic nose foam for a secure but comfortable seal. The result is an N95 mask performance with less air resistance, cooler and less stale air inside the mask for easier breathability, less eyeglass fogging, and less pressure on the face for all-day-comfort and wear.

The Protex N95 Particulate Respirator Model SR9520S offers a minimum of 95% filtration efficiency, meeting the government standard for N95s. The molded-cup-style respirator – preferred by most users for its performance – is made with Shawmut’s proprietary high-efficiency, bi-layer, meltblown filtration material offering a comfortable fit for extended wear. Due to its lightweight, inner filtration layer, developed using Shawmut’s advanced material expertise, the Protex N95 small respirator is lighter and more breathable than others on the market.