盛夏临近 日本多家企业推出夏季清凉口罩

夏日炎炎，口罩还能戴得住吗？如何在戴口罩的同时确保通风透气？日本多家企业推出令人感觉凉快、透气的清凉口罩，抵御新冠病毒的传播，还可以吸热吸汗防中暑。

Mizuno's masks are made with a soft stretch tricot material that is used for its swimsuits. (Photo: Mizuno)

Several companies in different fields are hurrying to develop cool and dry face masks to help people in the upcoming sweltering summer heat in Japan as they continue to wear masks to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

日本不同行业的几家公司都在加紧研发凉爽干燥的口罩，以帮助人们应对即将到来的酷暑。为防止新冠病毒的传播，日本民众将继续佩戴口罩。

sweltering [ˈsweltərɪŋ]：adj.闷热的；热得难受的

Demand for masks suitable for summer use is increasing in Japan and other parts of the world, with medical experts warning against risks such as breathing difficulties and dehydration when people wear masks in the hot and humid season.

在日本和世界其他地区，适合夏天使用的口罩需求正在增加。医学专家警告人们在湿热的季节戴口罩会带来呼吸困难和脱水等风险。

Companies from different industries that have never produced masks before are coming up with solutions, with their own expertise ranging from high-tech cool materials to interesting ideas like putting refrigerant packs inside masks.

以前从未生产过口罩的不同行业的公司都在拿出解决方案。它们凭借自己的专业技能，推出了高科技降温材料口罩以及可加入制冷剂的口罩等有趣产品。

Mizuno Corp in late May started sales of face masks made with a soft stretch tricot material that is used for its swimsuits and wear for track and field athletics.

美津浓公司在5月底开始销售用柔软可拉伸的经编针织材料制成的口罩，这种材料用于制作泳装和田径运动服装。

By using the material, the repeatedly washable mask can fit the face with less stress and help prevent splash infections, the sportswear maker said.

这家运动服饰生产商表示，通过使用经编针织材料，这种可反复清洗的口罩可以更轻巧地贴合面部，并有助于防止飞溅感染。

The product -- which costs 935 yen including tax -- gained strong popularity, with 20,000 pieces sold on its first online sales day.

这款口罩售价为含税935日元 Yonex Co, a maker of equipment for badminton, tennis and other sports, will sell masks made with its "Very Cool" material containing xylitol from early July.

生产羽毛球、网球和其他运动器材的尤尼克斯公司将从7月初开始销售用含有木糖醇的“非常凉”材料制成的口罩。

Xylitol absorbs heat, responding to sweat, and the material is used for Yonex's wear for the Japan badminton national team, as well as professional tennis players.

木糖醇能吸热、吸汗，尤尼克斯公司使用这种材料为日本羽毛球国家队和职业网球运动员生产服装。

"As people spend more time wearing masks against the coronavirus, we hope our technology will enable users to keep cool during hot weather, even if only a little bit," a Yonex spokeswoman told Kyodo News.

该公司的一位发言人告诉日本共同社：“随着人们戴口罩抵御新冠病毒的时间越来越长，我们希望我们的技术能让使用者在炎热的天气中保持凉爽，哪怕只有一点点。”

The company plans to sell the mask at 840 yen before tax. The length of the string of the quick-drying and antimicrobial mask can be adjusted.

这款口罩预计税前价格为每只840日元 Fast Retailing Co, operator of the Uniqlo chain, plans to start selling face masks this summer featuring a highly breathable and fast-drying material used for its popular AIRism underwear products that are cool and dry quickly.

优衣库连锁店的运营商迅销公司计划今年夏天开始销售由超透气、速干材料制成的口罩，这种材料用于其广受欢迎的AIRism内衣，凉爽又速干。

A Fast Retailing spokeswoman said the date of the debut of the mask and its price will be announced once they are determined.

迅销公司的一位发言人表示，口罩的上市日期和价格将在确定后公布。

Chairman and CEO Tadashi Yanai earlier denied the firm would enter the mask market, saying it will focus on its main business of making clothing. But it has decided to take advantage of the growing customer demand for masks.

迅销公司董事长兼首席执行官柳井正早些时候否认该公司将进军口罩市场，称公司将专注于主营的制衣业务。但该公司已决定利用客户对口罩日益增长的需求生产产品。

Various other companies are actively entering the summer mask market after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe fully lifted a state of emergency over the pneumonia-causing virus on May 25.

5月25日，日本首相安倍晋三全面解除了因新冠病毒引发的紧急状态后，其他多家公司也在积极进军夏季口罩市场。

Abe declared the emergency in April, urging citizens to stay at home and businesses to suspend or shorten opening hours in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading.

安倍晋三今年4月宣布日本进入紧急状态，敦促市民呆在家里，企业暂停营业或缩短营业时间，以防止病毒传播。

While economic and social activities have gradually resumed, the government is calling on people to continue wearing face masks against a possible second wave of a virus outbreak.

虽然经济和社会活动已逐渐恢复，但政府呼吁人们继续戴口罩，以应对可能出现的第二波病毒暴发。

The request has raised concerns about the use of masks in hot weather, partly because the number of people who die or are taken to hospitals due to heat-related conditions has increased in Japan in recent years.

这一要求引发了人们对在炎热天气佩戴口罩的担忧，部分原因是近年来日本因高温导致的死亡或就医的人数有所增加。

The Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, a major medical group with over 10,000 members, has called on people to drink water at regular intervals and remove face masks as appropriate, as wearing them could increase both heart and breathing rates.

拥有一万多名成员的大型医疗机构日本急症医学协会呼吁人们定期喝水，并酌情摘掉口罩，因为戴口罩可能会提高心率和呼吸频率。

Knit Waizu, a knitwear maker based in Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan, has put on sale cloth masks equipped with ice packs.

位于日本东北部山形县的针织品制造商Knit Waizu推出了配有制冷剂的布制口罩。

The mask has two pockets to hold four refrigerant packs and can cool the user's face for one to two hours.

这种口罩有两个小兜，可以放入四包制冷剂，在1至2小时内令佩戴者面部凉爽。

The company earlier this year sold cloth masks that are cooled and sold in vending machines, but their coolness did not last for a long time. As a result, Knit Waizu launched a reformed version of the mask.

今年早些时候，该公司通过自动售货机出售提前制冷的布口罩，但降温效果持续时间不长。因此，Knit Waizu推出了这款改良版口罩。

"It's a mask that has never been seen before," said Knit Waizu executive Katsuyuki Goto. "Although it's not perfect, I hope people will use it as a measure against the heat."

“这是一种新式口罩，”Knit Waizu的总裁后藤胜之说。“尽管它并不完美，但我希望人们能用它来抵御高温。”

The new mask sells for 1,300 yen, including tax, in vending machines and online sales are also available. The mask can be used repeatedly if cooled in a freezer.

这款新口罩每只税后价格1300日元