In order to the current textile production capacities for respiratory masks in Baden-Württemberg, the employers' association Südwesttextil and the textile network AFBW put a query online on their joint internet portal "Place2tex" at the end of last week. Minister of Economy Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, whose department sponsored the portal, called on companies in the Baden-Württemberg textile and clothing industry to take part in this survey and to inform the state of the available and future capacities.

“Over 140 companies followed this call within two days. We are thrilled at how active and creative our industry is in these times of crisis, ”said Südwesttextil general manager Peter Haas. "After a detailed analysis, an impressively diverse picture of producers in the country emerges." The country is expected to use these products and not just rely on imports from China.

In view of the mask requirement that will apply in Baden-Württemberg from Monday, April 27th, which prescribes the wearing of so-called “everyday masks” when shopping and in public transport, great demand is expected in the professional and private sectors. "That is why we decided," said Ulrike Möller, head of the Alliance Fiber-Based Materials Baden-Württemberg (AFBW), "not only to provide the state government with our collected information, but also to companies, other organizations, institutions and citizens." A list of mouth mask manufacturers is available for download from Place2tex at www.place2tex.com/place2tex/corona-produkte."We are already learning from the Corona crisis that in future we will not be able to make ourselves as dependent on Asia and other foreign production facilities for health care and health care," appeals CEO Haas. That is why he demands from the state government to sustainably support and thus secure the establishment of the production infrastructure in the southwest.