Metro Gear Nepal, a trailblazer in the battle against air pollution, has made remarkable strides with its KN95-certified reusable air pollution masks. Featuring advanced multi-layer filtration technology, Metro Mask offers high efficiency (99.99%) against PM 2.5 particles, providing crucial protection in Kathmandu, where air quality frequently falls below safe levels.

Despite the superior quality of their product, Metro Gear Nepal faced several challenges.

One of the most significant was consumer preference: many people in Nepal still favored cheaper, disposable surgical masks over reusable pollution masks, despite the latter offering far better protection against air pollution. This preference, combined with a sharp decline in demand following the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded the company's difficulties. As vaccination rates rose and COVID-19 cases dropped, daily mask usage declined, further impacting sales.

To overcome these obstacles, USAID Clean Air provided Metro Gear Nepal strategic advisory support. The initial focus was on diversifying beyond their existing online sales model, which had been the company’s primary channel. With guidance from USAID Clean Air, Metro Gear successfully expanded into offline retail, securing placements in prominent outlets such as Trucare Pharmacy, the North Face Store and Co-creative concept store. A total of 410 masks were sold through these outlets—260 masks and 255 filters at Trucare Pharmacy, and 100 masks and 100 filters at the North Face Store and 50 masks from Co-creative concept store.  This expansion allowed Metro Gear to reach more everyday consumers who were concerned about air pollution but previously limited by accessibility.

Recognizing broader market potential, USAID Clean Air also advised Metro Gear Nepal to pivot towards the B2B sector. Through multiple discussions, the company identified opportunities in co-branding and partnerships with local businesses, especially those serving customers frequently exposed to high levels of pollution, such as bike distributors.

To support this shift, USAID Clean Air further supported Metro Gear to develop an impactful sales deck. The materials further highlighted the Metro Mask's superior features—high filtration efficiency, reusability—and provided clear usage instructions, making it an effective tool to pitch to potential business partners.

Furthermore, a mapping exercise was also carried out to identify potential partners, craft relevant pitches and facilitated linkages with these partners.

This strategic pivot led to a significant breakthrough: Metro Gear Nepal secured a co-branding agreement with NIU, a leading electric scooter company, to sell 1,000 reusable masks and 1000 filters across four of their outlets in Kathmandu and Pokhara. This collaboration not only opened a new revenue stream but also positioned Metro Mask as a crucial accessory for commuters in Nepal’s polluted urban areas. Despite the challenges, this strategic move has helped Metro Gear reinforce the value of reusable, high-efficiency masks in a heavily polluted environment.

Metro Gear Nepal continues to source these B2B partnerships in addition to pursuing their B2C expansion through a combination of online and offline channels, ensuring more people have access to higher quality anti-pollution masks protecting them from exposure to air pollution.