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Brad Rosenblatt, owner and CEO of Rene Ruiz Wholesale Inc. and the Rene Ruiz Collection, has entered a joint venture with renowned board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Hechtman, specializing in sports medicine, and Courtney Young, athletic director at Riviera Prep in Miami, to create CAGEMASK.
The patented product offers athletic programs a solution to potentially reduce virus transmission now and into the future. It is distributed to high school, college, and professional athletic programs across the U.S.
Rene Ruiz Wholesale Inc. has pivoted from its evening gown production to create the CAGEMASK products, so they are ready for immediate distribution, at a time when supply chains for other safety items have been drastically stretched. The company’s seamstresses are manufacturing many the shields at the company’s Hialeah design studio. The venture has provided employment for Rene Ruiz Wholesale Inc. employees while the evening gown business has decreased, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“CAGEMASK has a unique two-layer fabric construction, when combined with a visor, functions as a face shield while allowing heat dispersion and absorption of moisture to prevent fogging,” Rosenblatt said. “At Rene Ruiz Wholesale Inc., we are thrilled to partner with Dr. Hechtman and Courtney Young to manufacture these exceptional sports shields that can not only save lives, but also allow sports seasons to safely continue.”
The Washington Football Team, based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, has purchased CAGEMASKs to use during practice to reduce the spread of the virus between their practice squad and their first-string players. High schools from all over the nation have purchased the masks including Ransom Everglades School in Miami, to keep their student athletes healthy and safe. Broward County Public Schools plans to equip their entire system with CAGEMASKs for football, hockey, lacrosse and softball for the Spring 2021 semester.
CAGEMASK provides athletes with a cage shield that does not inhibit breathing or performance, and is consistent with current CDC guidance. Dr. Hechtman, founding member of the UHZ Sports Medicine Institute and the Miami Anatomic Research Center, designed the masks to allow athletes a freer flow of air while stopping the forward exhalation.
Dr. Hechtman served as an orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. Army and was a volunteer physician for the Olympics. For 32 years, he has served as head team physician for Division 1 intercollegiate athletic programs.
After months of testing and working with doctors and players under CDC guidelines, Dr. Hechtman, Rosenblatt, and Young launched CAGEMASK with a patent to get players back onto the field safely.
CAGEMASK is reusable, washable, durable and adaptable. It attaches easily to a variety of helmet and cage designs. The stretch design also reduces the risk of injury of another player’s finger(s) from being caught between the cage and mask. It will not tear or rip. The middle of the mask/shield has two layers of fabric or plastic that are sewn into the snaps, elastic edging, and straps to ensure maximum durability.
It is available in two styles: black, two-layer fabric and clear polypropylene. The two-layer fabric mask is best suited to football linemen, who present the greatest need due to proximity to other players. The clear polypropylene CAGEMASK is transparent and adaptable for hockey, lacrosse, football, softball and youth baseball/t-ball.
The price for the fabric and polypropylene CAGEMASK is $29.95. Wholesale pricing is 14.95.
