Who is N95 for Good?
Well, that’s me wearing the masks. My name is Sam, and I believe it’s important for a business owner to own up to his or her products. All emails go to me (while we are small) in Portland, Oregon. My partner in New Delhi has direct access to the factories manufacturing the Indian masks. Both of us originate from the educational travel market, and having worked together for nearly 10 years, wanted to start something different while travel came to a stop. Since early 2020, we have been working out the details and trying all sorts of masks. We have finally settled on two masks for now: Magnum, from India. and DemeTech, made in the USA.
Why N95 for Good?
Aside from the obvious, that COVID is running rampant- again- I wanted my next business to be one that fulfilled an urgent need, battled climate change and emphasized a social mission that helped the world’s most vulnerable (Read Peter Singer’s The Life You Can Save). From everything I’ve read, N95 masks do the best job of protecting us- no matter what the other person is wearing. I also have two children under 12, who cannot yet get vaccinated, and it is important to me that they and other unvaccinated children are better protected by ourselves being better protected. So, it’s become my mission to get more people wearing better masks - for our own good.
How is N95 for Good doing Good?
N95 For Good will remove the C02 equivalent of each mask’s production, packaging and shipment from the air. We have calculated the carbon footprint of these masks, packaging and shipment to the USA, or from the USA, and will pay Climeworks to remove more than the amount of carbon produced for each order. (This is one of the ways Microsoft is bringing down their carbon footprint). We estimate this to be .84 cents per mask delivered from India, and .10 per mask delivered within the USA
10% of annual profits, after considering only mask-related purchases and related costs, but before payroll, will go to organizations that support the world’s most vulnerable people. Read more about this concept in Peter Singer’s book: The Life You Can Save.
1 % For the Planet means that 1% of actual retail sales will go to organizations that support climate justice or similar initiatives. This will apply only the US DemeTech mask orders.
10% of the number of masks ordered are donated to organizations that have the ability to further distribute them to those who need them, be they schools, non-profits, or others in India. We also encourage buyers of our masks to purchase additional masks to donate in the US and beyond. This will apply only to Magnum masks from India.
N95 For Good operations in the US to be carbon negative from January 2022, meaning that we use renewal energy programs such as PGE, and we are adding measures to use less carbon. Any excess carbon or natural gas used will also be removed by Climeworks.
You may be asking- how can a small business like this possibly charge a fair and reasonable price for these masks, make a profit and keep all of these promises?
Well, my goal is to prove that it is possible by showing you how we do it- in the hopes that you, too, will do something, anything, similar. This world is in a mess, and we need to take some responsibility.
Our Transparent Model for masks from India:
For starters, the cost of our masks, including duties, fees and shipment to the US by air is about $3. 50each.
Our price to you is based on quantity. Bulk, wholesale, municipalities, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and non-profit buyers will receive further discounts.
The below summary of costs and expenses is based on a purchase of 100 masks for $350, INCLUDING FREE US GROUND SHIPPING.
Let’s assume you buy 100 masks.
We start with $350, or $3,50 per mask, already below market cost.
- $14 [Credit card (roughly 4%)] = $336
- $118.50 [The purchase of the masks themselves] = $217.20
- $83.40 [Full carbon removal at .834 cents/ kg] = $ 133.80
-$1 [.10 cents per mask / packaging production for 1:10 mask donation within India] = 132.80
- $13.28 [10% contributions to the world’s most vulnerable populations] = $119.52
- $20 estimate for shipment by land, including carbon removal (.037 kg CO2 for Portland to Denver, for example) = $99.52
That leaves us with $99.52 for the order.
Additionally:
We will include free shipping in the USA for all orders of 100 masks or more.
Small orders (under 1,000) are shipped from Portland, OR. Larger orders will typically be drop shipped.
All American-made masks and orders shipped from Portland will also include carbon removal to neutralize domestic shipping..
For those who receive discounts, we will contribute lesser overall amounts, but plan to contribute the same percentages.
We will contribute a minimum of 1 mask to Indian organizations for orders of 10 and under. After that, the donations will be 1:10 masks ordered.
Additional, minimal, monthly fees include: Squarespace fees ($27); gmail ($6); and the CO2 offsets we will purchase to remove the equivalent CO2 that our website and Internet usage requires, in addition to any CO2 produced by other company operations that our utility plans do not compensate for. This is an on-going process of learning that I am narrowing down.
N95 For Good has a goal of becoming a Benefit company, which will cost $600 to register and $300 every few years to keep the status. We will apply for that after we start to sell enough masks and prove the concept to justify the investment.
Anything left will go to profits - and taxes! We are a registered LLC, based in Portland, Oregon, with high city and state taxes, which we have not yet accounted for. Since that is a percentage of profits, it will be deducted after all our contributions and other expenses.
I hope that by being transparent about our business model; our belief in science; and our re-investment in people and planet, that we will be able to keep people safer from COVID, while also eking out a bit of a living for ourselves - and making the world even better at the same time! Easy, right?
On top of that, we hope that this model inspires others to do something similar. If that somebody happens to be you, I wish you the best. And if you need more than wishes, please reach out, and let’s talk.
-Sam