Masks came off, and it started to feel normal again. Their business slowed to a trickle. When the Delta variant hit, I figured they'd start up again. I was wrong. They halted production of their N95 masks, which in a nod to Texas history, they called the 1836. They laid off workers. Standing back and surveying the field, they realized they were fighting a lost cause. They could never beat China. Hospitals, governments and companies needing to buy masks returned to their old buying habits. Forget Made in America. Save a few pennies per mask. Or as John puts it, "The supply chain is going back to its old, paved cow paths, all of its old habits. Going back to China." Then they came up with an idea. If you do a web search for masks for children, a lot of products come up, but John and David say they are not high-quality masks. They mostly are either small adult masks repackaged and claiming to fit children, or they are neck gaiters, those scarf-like masks that provide minimal protection. Adult-sized masks don't provide a tight seal for children. Sometimes they can reach up to a child's eyes. So they decided to build an N95-type mask that fits ages 4 and up. And they vowed to make it the highest quality they could. Some warned them they couldn't do it. Meet the new KID95. Unlike their 1836 mask for adults which was certified by the federal government, kid-sized masks are not eligible for certification. So legally they cannot claim that it's a smaller version of their 1836. But they use the same specs, same design, materials and machinery to make them. Although not certified, they promise the smaller masks posses the same level of quality. The KID95 is expected to go on sale in several weeks through UnitedStatesMask.com. If you're already on their mailing list, you'll get a notice. If you're not on their list, you can sign up at their website. Of you can keep checking their website for announcements. They have no current plans to advertise the new product. David says children with underlying symptoms or those who must visit a hot zone like a hospital or fly on a plane could use their new product. "Why shouldn't they have protection?" he asks. Earlier this year, John took his wife and two sons to the Texas Legislature to push for a new law to protect American mask makers.