After facing setbacks during the beginning of the pandemic in producing Perkies, a stick-on-bra without traditional straps, CEO Rose Mangiarotti is now looking at ways her product's adhesive material can aid face-mask wearers unfog their face masks.
Stickie Masks are single-use masks that offer a peel-off, medical-grade adhesive that to affix the top of the mask to the wearer's nose. The adhesive is in place to keep the mask on as consumers talk and serves to prevent foggy eyewear.
The masks use the same adhesive as Mangiarotti’s Perkies stick-on bras and nipple covers. After seeing a newscaster with a Band-Aid beneath their mask on the bridge of their nose, Mangiarotti decided to pursue Stickie Masks as a way of addressing what she saw as a "customer pain point.”
Mangiarotti operates Perkies and Stickie Masks as a solo effort, taking on an occasional intern from Brown University, her alma mater, when the need arises. As sales grow, she intends to grow the ventures to sell the adhesives separately so consumers can apply them to their own masks at home.
Even as mandatory mask-wearing rules are being lifted across the U.S., the company is positioning its products as antidotes to allergies as well. Mangiarotti said demand remains high.
“With my investor’s blessing, I’ve been able to fuel money into Perkies and Stickie Masks, because they’re in such a dire need right now,” Mangiarotti said in reference to Liz Lange, Mangiarotti's angel investor, who owns and designs maternity clothing.
Mangiarotti is working on getting the masks approved by the FDA in order to expand her sales to hospitals.
While most hospitals offer a form of adhesive masks, Stickie Masks peel off with a smoother finish compared with hospital-grade adhesive, which she said has a rougher impact.
“I’m trying to work as fast as possible to solve this problem for everyone,” Mangiarotti said.
Stickie Masks are produced locally in Rhode Island. She said the masks will be sold directly to consumers online. A pack of 10 single-use masks is currently priced at $18.
