RIP cloth masks? Why airlines and governments are banning them

Is it time to retire your cloth masks? In Europe, some governments and companies believe so, saying they're not as effective as medical-grade masks. Finnair, Air France, Swissair, and Lufthansa, among other airlines, now forbid cloth masks on board. In Germany and Austria, citizens are no longer allowed to wear fabric masks into stores and on public transportation. Only surgical masks or N95s are now allowed. So far, cloth masks are still common in the U.S., but it's possible this could change as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to surge. Read my story here.  — Liz Segran   RIP cloth masks? Why airlines and governments are banning them Cloth masks, a staple of the pandemic, are now banned on some airlines and in public spaces in Germany and Austria, because there are no standards guiding their efficacy.   READ MORE   Herman Miller’s iconic Aeron chair gets an eco-friendly upgrade The best-selling chair now contains 2.5 pounds of recycled plastic.   READ MORE   1,000 workers are on strike. Why is Oreo tweeting about emojis? Oreo’s playful brand image is threatened by striking Nabisco workers alleging harsh conditions.   READ MORE   Dystopian or necessary? This company can stop dangerous e-scooters remotely Taking control of e-scooters while people are riding them may sound like valid safety measures—but to some they also sound like the overreaching powers of a central, autonomous system imposing its desires at will.   READ MORE   Good design is socially and environmentally just. This year’s National Design Awards prove it The nine winners showcase innovative design solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.   READ MORE

Meet the most powerful force in the Star Wars universe: the man who makes the toys We spoke to Hasbro’s Star Wars design director to discover how the most anticipated toy line of all time is created.   READ MORE

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