The coronavirus pandemic has two companies who make face masks tailored for eating and drinking on the verge of an all-out legal war ... and their beef just got real!!!
Sip Mask USA is threatening its zipper mask competitor Shut Your Mouth with a $1 million lawsuit ... firing off a cease and desist letter claiming SYM is violating its intellectual property by hawking an "unsafe knockoff" for $26.99.
In the threatening legal letter, obtained by TMZ, Sip Mask claims it started selling face coverings with zippers that allow users to safely sip beverages through a "straw port" back in March, and says Shut Your Mouth never got its permission to start selling unsafe knockoffs.
Sip Mask says its masks feature medical-grade fabric to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and claims they are fireproof. The company says the alleged knockoffs have several design flaws -- non-medical grade materials, exposing the mouth when unzipped, and fire risk if users decide to light up while using the mask.
In the legal threat, Sip Mask claims Shut Your Mouth is exposing itself to at least $1 million in liabilities ... and the company wants its competitor to stop selling its masks or face further legal action.
We reached out to Shut Your Mouth ... so far, the company is keeping its mouth shut.