apple unveils face shield design with downloadable assembly and cleaning instructions

following the news that apple is aiming to produce 1 million face shields per week during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the tech giant has now unveiled its design for the mask, complete with assembly and cleaning instructions. the design comprises three elements: a forehead band; a face shield; and a latex-free silicone strap. different slots in the head band allow the mask to fit different head sizes, providing either a regular fit or offering extra space.

after aligning the slots on the face shield with the forehead band, users thread the strap through the slots and pull to adjust. apple says that the shield should be worn in addition to other personal protective equipment, and should not be exposed to high heat. the company has released full instructions, which can be downloaded here.

‘our first shipment was delivered to hospital facilities in the santa clara valley this past week, and the feedback from doctors was very positive,’ says tim cook, apple’s chief executive officer. ‘these pack flat, 100 per box. each shield is assembles in less than two minutes and is fully adjustable. we’re sourcing materials and manufacturing in the US and china.’

NIKE and architecture firm foster + partners have also released designs for personal protection equipment (PPE), while a student in the US has designed face masks for the deaf and hard of hearing community. see designboom’s ongoing coverage of how the design world is responding to the pandemic here.