A mother in Thailand has made plastic face shields with cartoon characters and Sci-fi villains printed on to encourage children to use Covid-19 protection.
Comic books fan Maysa Talerd, 31, had the idea of printing stickers of popular villains and heroes, which are then stuck on the clear facial shields being used widely in the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
The unique style of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been proving a hit and orders for her masks have been coming in from around the world.
Maysa produces the different designs from her home in the Thai capital Bangkok.
''I think these colorful face shields make children more aware of protecting themselves while going outside,'' said the single mother.
''People started to know about my face shields, so I decided that because the first collections are male characters, I would start using more female characters in the masks.
Most customers who have daughters requested me to produce girly styles.'' Thailand has not seen any locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus for almost a month.
However, residents are under strict rules to wear masks and many ultra-caution locals have also began wearing the clear plastic facial shields which protect the eyes from virus droplets in the air.
The country has recorded 58 Covid-19 deaths and 3,141 cases, including Thai nationals repatriated from countries including the UK, India, Korea, China and the Middle East.
A few months ago, Maysa said, she had no income partly because of the pandemic but she is now on her way to being financially stable, receiving orders of 50-100 shields at a time, which she sells for 180 baht (4.60GBP) each.
“I think this might become the main income for me in the future because toy stores are contacting me to do wholesale,” she said.
ENDS SUBTITLES 1.10 - 1.20 The inspiration for making face shields comes from comic models and cartoons 1.21 - 1.30 When the pandemic started, I was thinking about how to make plain shields more colorful 1.31 - 1.37 I think these colorful face shields make children more aware 1.37 - 1.40 of protecting themselves while going outside 1.41 - 1.45 I then had a better idea of putting cartoon characters onto bare face shields 1.45 - 1.50 So, the first collection I made was two characters from Star Wars 1.51 - 1.53 A stormtrooper and Darth Vader 1.54 - 1.55 People started to know about my face shields 1.55 - 1.58 So I decided that because the first collections are male characters, 1.59 - 2.02 I would start using more female characters in the masks 2.03 - 2.06 Most customers who have daughters requested me to produce girly styles 2.06 - 2.08 And also my female customers asked me for of that, too 2.09 - 2.13 I finally had the idea of launching Wonder Woman and Cat Woman patterns 2.14 - 2.18 Female characters have received a positive response.
Girls like my face shields a lot 2.20 - 2.24 Not only girls, but also working women.
They said my face shields are so cute 2.25 - 2.30 I'm attempting to create high quality products that are unique and popular 2.30 - 2.33 I would like anyone who buys my unique face shields, to remember them 2.34 - 2.41 As I said before, when I launch the products, I launch them collection by collection, 2.42 - 2.47 I think this may be a good selling point, making my products more attractive to many foreign customers 2.47 - 2.50 Because they are interested in arty handmade stuff 2.51 - 2.57 Now, my customers come from various countries, such as Singapore and the United States 2.58 - 3.02 Many of them contacted me to buy wholesale stock as well 3.02 - 3.05 This could be what I'm planning to build on by business 3.06 - 3.10 by exporting more of them abroad ENDS
