Kenneth Koh and Laura Liong of Advanture Nomad recently went to Vietnam for their first long cycling trip. They brough along the Totobobo mask to help keeping the occational air pollution in check.
You can read Kenneth’s review of Totobobo mask and loads of interesting stuffs here
Rice paddy field just off Highway 1, near Hoi An, Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Laura Liong
Rush hour in Danang, Vietnam.
Due to recent demand for flu prevention, we will soon introduce a new filter call 96%, one percent more efficient than N95 filters. Which allows the wearer to block more contemination (e.g. virus) out of the breathing zone.
Similar to the existing 94% filter, the 96% contains electro-static charged filber. It is designed to filter out at least 96% of the most penatrating particles of 0.3 micron size.
Watch our “buy page” for the latest update.
If you live in the Continental United States, you can now get your Totobobo mask from Paula Ford, the pastel artist.
Comfortable Totobobo mask allows Paula Ford to concentrate on her pastel painting.
This is what she have to say to the artists amongst you:
I fully endorse this mask and LOVE it so much that I am selling it here on my blog!”
Singapore, May 4, 2009 — As the H1N1 influenza virus continues its rapid global spread, parents are increasingly concerned about respiratory protection for their young children, whose developing lungs make them especially vulnerable. Recognising the lack of child-friendly respirators in the market, Singapore-based Dream Lab One Pte. Ltd. has announced growing international demand for the Totobobo customisable mask, designed by product innovator Francis Chu.
The Totobobo mask is engineered to provide effective, comfortable, and transparent protection for both adults and children — addressing a critical gap in respiratory safety during viral outbreaks such as the 2009 swine flu and, later, seasonal influenza.
Manufactured from Totosoft™, a proprietary transparent elastomer developed from FDA-approved materials, the Totobobo mask is free from latex and phthalates. The mask can be reshaped or trimmed with scissors to fit smaller faces — even down to children as young as five. Its lightweight build, weighing only 20 grams, and soft, flexible edges ensure comfort over extended use.
A unique Visual Seal Check (VSC) system allows parents to confirm at a glance that the mask is sealed properly against the child’s face, a critical step for ensuring full filtration efficiency. Without a proper fit, airborne viruses can easily bypass even the most advanced filter.
Totobobo masks use dual electrostatic filters, independently tested by Nelson Labs in the United States to exceed 99% Viral, Bacterial, and Particulate Filtration Efficiency (VFE/BFE/PFE). The mask body is embedded with BioCote®, a silver-based antimicrobial agent proven effective against bacteria, mould, fungi, and even strains of influenza A (H1N1).
Each pair of filters typically lasts 7–14 days, and only the filters need replacing — a design that reduces waste and ensures reliable, hygienic reuse for up to 600 days of continuous use.
In the United States, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) certifies respirators like the N95 standard, but these certifications apply only to adult users and do not assess how well masks fit smaller faces. As a result, children wearing adult N95 masks often experience air leakage that compromises protection. The Totobobo mask, with its custom-fit capability, offers a child-safe alternative where standard respirators fall short.
Francis Chu conceived Totobobo during the 2003 SARS outbreak when he struggled to find proper masks for his six- and eight-year-old sons. “I felt helpless knowing that my children could be at risk simply because no mask fit them properly. That experience pushed me to design a safe, reusable solution for families,” Chu recalls.
After crafting and testing hundreds of prototypes, Chu’s final design successfully combined ergonomic comfort, transparency, and safety — a blend praised by parents worldwide for providing confidence and peace of mind.
Driven by personal sustainability values, Chu’s development approach also focused on environmental responsibility. The mask’s reusable structure minimizes plastic waste, with only filter replacements required, while the compact, recyclable packaging further supports eco-conscious manufacturing practices.
Dream Lab One Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore-based product innovation firm dedicated to designing practical, sustainable health solutions for everyday families. The company’s flagship product, the Totobobo mask, is used in over 30 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America — recognized for its adaptability, hygiene, and commitment to both health protection and environmental responsibility.
Related:
Time for a better mask to protect children
Parent Testimonial: Transparent Mask for Kids— Protection You Can Trust
Published May 2, 2009, By Cheah Ui-Hoon
Courtesy of Business Times
The swine flu that’s sweeping North America and Europe might have you rifling through your cupboards for the face masks you bought six years ago. While most of us simply chucked them into some cabinet or drawer after the Sars outbreak, one man was motivated by the fact that A: The N95 plastic masks are uncomfortable, and B: children could only wear surgical masks and these didn’t filter out airborne viruses.
BREATHE EASY
Totobobo is made with a special blended plastic which is soft enough to comply comfortably to the contours of the face, but not too soft that it touches the mouth.
Product designer Francis Chu put on his thinking cap, after encountering these problems in 2003. ‘As a father of two young children, I was really concerned about this. The challenge that presented itself was clear – to come up with a mask that would fit not just adults but children, and at the same time feel comfortable,’ he explains.
Being a product designer, he was therefore sensitive to user issues and ergonomic requirements. ‘Although I don’t have medical training, I have been involved in designing for disabled children,’ he says. ‘I studied the principle for respiratory protection in different fields, including the medical. I also asked advice from my friends working in the hospitals,’ he adds.
To fund this project, Mr Chu sold his car, trading it in for a bicycle for transport. He started creating hundreds of prototypes using paper first, to find a shape that would best fit various face sizes.
It took six months before he came up with a final design, and he filed an initial patent for it in 2004. That was the genesis of Totobobo (Mandarin for transparent (toto) and protection (bobo)). From then on, it was a matter of getting it to the market, which Mr Chu did – and in no better time as well – earlier this year.
Having a snug fit is important because if it doesn’t fit, you’re not fully protected from contaminated air.
Totobobo is now the world’s first customisable respiratory mask, designed to fit all face shapes, which is also child-friendly.
Having a snug fit is important, he stresses, because if it doesn’t fit, it means you’re not fully protected from contaminated air. This defeats the purpose of wearing a mask, he points out.
‘Current respirator solutions require fit-tests to ensure that the mask fits the individual’s face, which isn’t a realistic requirement for most people,’ explains Mr Chu. In terms of fit, Totobobo is made with a special blended plastic which is soft enough to comply comfortably to the contours of the face, but not too soft that it touches the mouth. The mask doesn’t contain silicon or latex, but can be washable.
On both sides are filtering material imported from Germany, which is able to block 94 per cent of very fine particles including bacteria and germs. ‘If a higher level of protection is needed, you can put two layers of filters together and that will bring the filtration efficiency up to 99 per cent, comparable to N99 masks,’ says Mr Chu.
The good thing is that putting on the mask won’t make you look like a SWAT team member. ‘My intention was to design a mask for normal people and I wanted to create something that would not look too odd when worn in public places, such as a crowded bus during the flu season,’ he explains.
The current swine flu scare is certainly going to see sales of Totobobo go up, but even before this scare, Singapore-based Dream Lab One (the company that Hong Kong-born Mr Chu and his wife, Sharon Li, started) had been selling the mask online, and it has been bought by consumers from over 20 countries.
Among the target audience are cyclists and asthma sufferers, as well as travellers who need to block out both polluted air and other various irritants.
If you’re checking through your mask supplies, it’s time to get up to date with a Totobobo mask. Most likely, the surgical masks from the 2003 Sars days would be unusable, as the straps would have disintegrated into pieces. I should know since I unearthed mine this week.
———————————–
more media news:
Totobobo in Channel News Asia
The Totobobo is the world’s first customisable respiratory mask. By Cheah Ui-Hoon
Totobobo featured in Business Times
The swine flu that’s sweeping North America and Europe might have you rifling through your cupboards for the face masks you bought six years ago. While most of us simply chucked them into some cabinet or drawer after the Sars outbreak, one man was motivated by the fact that A: The N95 plastic masks are uncomfortable, and B: children could only wear surgical masks and these didn’t filter out airborne viruses.
BREATHE EASY
Totobobo is made with a special blended plastic which is soft enough to comply comfortably to the contours of the face, but not too soft that it touches the mouth.
Product designer Francis Chu put on his thinking cap, after encountering these problems in 2003. ‘As a father of two young children, I was really concerned about this. The challenge that presented itself was clear – to come up with a mask that would fit not just adults but children, and at the same time feel comfortable,’ he explains.
Being a product designer, he was therefore sensitive to user issues and ergonomic requirements. ‘Although I don’t have medical training, I have been involved in designing for disabled children,’ he says. ‘I studied the principle for respiratory protection in different fields, including the medical. I also asked advice from my friends working in the hospitals,’ he adds.
To fund this project, Mr Chu sold his car, trading it in for a bicycle for transport. He started creating hundreds of prototypes using paper first, to find a shape that would best fit various face sizes.
It took six months before he came up with a final design, and he filed an initial patent for it in 2004. That was the genesis of Totobobo (Mandarin for transparent (toto) and protection (bobo)). From then on, it was a matter of getting it to the market, which Mr Chu did – and in no better time as well – earlier this year.
Totobobo is now the world’s first customisable respiratory mask, designed to fit all face shapes, which is also child-friendly.
Having a snug fit is important, he stresses, because if it doesn’t fit, it means you’re not fully protected from contaminated air. This defeats the purpose of wearing a mask, he points out.
‘Current respirator solutions require fit-tests to ensure that the mask fits the individual’s face, which isn’t a realistic requirement for most people,’ explains Mr Chu. In terms of fit, Totobobo is made with a special blended plastic which is soft enough to comply comfortably to the contours of the face, but not too soft that it touches the mouth. The mask doesn’t contain silicon or latex, but can be washable.
On both sides are filtering material imported from Germany, which is able to block 94 per cent of very fine particles including bacteria and germs. ‘If a higher level of protection is needed, you can put two layers of filters together and that will bring the filtration efficiency up to 99 per cent, comparable to N99 masks,’ says Mr Chu.
The good thing is that putting on the mask won’t make you look like a SWAT team member. ‘My intention was to design a mask for normal people and I wanted to create something that would not look too odd when worn in public places, such as a crowded bus during the flu season,’ he explains.
The current swine flu scare is certainly going to see sales of Totobobo go up, but even before this scare, Singapore-based Dream Lab One (the company that Hong Kong-born Mr Chu and his wife, Sharon Li, started) had been selling the mask online, and it has been bought by consumers from over 20 countries.
Among the target audience are cyclists and asthma sufferers, as well as travellers who need to block out both polluted air and other various irritants.
If you’re checking through your mask supplies, it’s time to get up to date with a Totobobo mask. Most likely, the surgical masks from the 2003 Sars days would be unusable, as the straps would have disintegrated into pieces. I should know since I unearthed mine this week.
The statement from Natural News seems extreme, but the key message is true:
“If it’s not air-tight, it’s not right!”
Putting on the mask is the easy half, the difficulty is to make sure it really seal your face. The air you breathe in should not by-pass the filter media and enter the breathing zone through any gaps.
In this aspect Totobobo mask ability to provide seal check visusally is unique amongst available respirators. You can ensure face seal simply by checking how the transparent mask touches your skin. If you need a bit of help, just use a wet cotton wool to moisturize your skin. As soon as the satin mask touches the skin, the semi-transparent color changes to total transparent instantly, giving you the confident that it is getting a good seal. The seal is consider complete if it makes a continous loop around your mouth and nose.
It may sound complicated but it can be done very quickly and is very intuitive.
More detail of Totobobo visual seal check can be found here:
Paula Ford from Tennessee, USA, is an artist specialized in soft pastel. She enjoy making beautiful landscape drawing with her boxes of soft pastel. In her own words, her drawing represent “happy times and peaceful daydreams experienced as they have permeated our senses through the memories of fresh mountain breezes, fragrant wild flowers, and the changing seasons.” The only problem is the fine dust of the soft pastel some times gets into her nose and cause breathing problems.
After using Totobobo mask for a week, she is convinced:
Read more about her experience and other pastel artist feedback regarding Totobobo mask
Paula Ford working in her studio
Visit Paula Ford’s Pastel blog
For urban commuters, motorcycles and scooters offer a smart way to beat traffic jams, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint. But every city ride comes with a hidden cost: the air around you is often filled with exhaust fumes, dust, and pollution that silently harm your health.
Traffic lights, traffic jams, open roads — wherever you ride, you breathe what others emit. The challenge for city riders is clear: how to protect your lungs every day while keeping your ride uncomplicated and comfortable?
You already know the basics: helmet, gloves, and jacket. Now add one more essential to your daily toolkit — a protective respirator mask designed for your unique needs.
Look for a mask that offers:
Your mask should be as practical as your bike — reliable, convenient, and always ready.
Designed with city life in mind, Totobobo combines simplicity and advanced technology to keep your lungs safe without slowing you down.
Lab-tested filters capture pollutants as small as 0.1 microns, filtering out harmful exhaust particles and urban grime before you breathe them in.
The transparent, lightweight mask can be trimmed to fit any face shape snugly. It sits comfortably under helmets without adding bulk or restricting movement — weighing only 20 grams.
Totobobo masks are quick to don and remove, fitted with elastic straps that hold securely without tightening. Checking the seal takes seconds, letting you focus on the road, not your gear.
The mask features Biocote® silver-ion protection against microbes, making it easy to clean and built to last. You only need to replace the affordable filters regularly, saving you money over disposables.
| Mask | Price | Filter | Replacement Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vogmask | USD 33 | — | — |
| RZ Mask | USD 40 | USD 3 | Medium |
| Respro Sportsta | USD 50 | USD 30 | High |
| Totobobo | USD 38 | USD 2 | Very Low |
Your daily commute is more than just a ride — it’s a moment to care for your health while staying efficient. With Totobobo, you add an essential layer of protection in the safest, most comfortable way possible.
Whether you’re riding motorcycles, mopeds, Vespas, scooters, or dirt bikes, protect your lungs just as carefully as you protect your ride—with or without health insurance. Don’t let city air stand between you and the open road.
Totobobo — your daily defense against urban pollution.
Related:
Bike2Work
Totobobo mask is launched today at the “Deep Indonesia 2009 – Indonesia’s 3rd International Diving, Adventure Travel & Water Sports Exhibition” at JHCC by Bike2Work Indonesia (B2W).
B2W was officially established in 2006 to encourage more people switch to bicycle for commuting. This is in response to the increasing negative impact of automotive transport to human life: including air pollution, traffic congestion and road death. B2W organization promotes bicycle as a better form of transportation.
The community of B2W has been growing rapidly over the last 2 years from 150 to now over 10,000. Among them are high ranking government officials and CEOs of large companies. Some of the prominent people are:
Fauzi Bowo (Wagub DKI Jakarta), Andi Mallarangeng Alifian (Spokesperson for the President), Kadiman Koesmayanto (Menristek), Rahmat Witoelar (Minister of LH) and the president Yudhoyono himself!
We are very pleased to be associated with an organization of such great integrity.
Recent Comments