A Skibbereen-based company has launched a new hygienic and safe school book-covering system for primary and post-primary schools as they prepare to return amid Covid-19 restrictions.
Designed for the Irish schoolbook market, Declim Ltd developed the covers following extensive research with teachers and schoolbook sellers.
Due to the current pandemic, it will now be necessary to clean and sanitise the covers on schoolbooks on a regular basis. Declim uses a ‘Filfix’ peel-and-seal system which uses recyclable polypropylene covers that can be wiped clean.
Director Kevin Fitzgerald said: ‘Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, wipeable schoolbooks covers are a necessity. Our system will help schools and pupils adhere to guidelines. Most schools now operate a book rental and reading scheme. The parents’ committee members in many of these schools cover the books themselves. The Filfix system offers a hygienic and safe system for pupils and schools and will alleviate some of their concerns.’
He added that, traditionally, schoolbooks were covered at home, but nowadays books are being covered in bookshops or in the schools. ‘This system was designed and developed to make book-covering quick and easy, whether covering one book or covering hundreds,’ explained Kevin. ‘Considering many primary schools have reading schemes where the pupil gets a different book to read each week, these books will need to be wiped after each use. For rental schemes, the books will have to be wiped on a more regular basis during the year where they are being shared.’
Due to Covid-19, many families and businesses have been impacted financially, so the Skibbereen firm is also price-conscious.
‘Where book rental schemes are not an option, parents may wish to cover school books themselves,’ added Kevin. ‘So they can purchase a 5m roll of the Filfix schoolbook covering for €3.99 which can cover up to 10 books.’
Declim has been manufacturing the Filfix book covering from its premises in Cork for over 25 years. ‘We sold our first box of Filfix in 1988 and our products are now sold in every town in Ireland. They can be found in every classroom in the country,’ noted Kieran.
Filfix coverings can be purchased from schoolbook shops and stationers or also see filfix.ie.
