Face Mask Research + Thoughts

Here’s some of what informed my mask making/designing process:

The main takeaways from my research & experience:

  1. Proper fit is super important. Not only will a good fit ensure the most aerosols are blocked by the mask, it is also more comfortable. A well-fitted mask means less fidgeting and adjusting, so less risk of the wearer touching a mask that’s come into contact with the aerosols of others.

  2. Density of the fabric fibers is super important. It’s hard to gauge the touch/opaqueness/thread count of a fabric when buying online, so I went through several purchases before settling on some winners.

  3. Blending fabrics and seeking fabrics with electrostatic charge is as important as choosing densely woven fabrics. I chose to offer some flannel masks as well as cotton, and used two different fabrics for the layers of the cotton mask.

Back in April when face masks were first becoming a thing to wear, and were also in dangerously short supply here in the US, I started making simple masks out of scrap cotton I had laying around. Lots of folks with home sewing machines did the same, and there were plans and patterns circulating the internet. I gave homemade masks to our staff, friends and family, and some local bike couriers but never sold them; here’s what I thought about mask making at the time:

The original batch of face masks.

The original batch of face masks.

“So I made some face masks but I don’t have the capacity to produce them large-scale. I’ve been giving them to friends, family & our employees but I’m not interested in selling them. I’ve gotten lots of requests for masks so I felt I should explain.
I have lots of feelings about producing/selling masks. I know people need them, and covering your face in any way is better than nothing when out in public. But I also don’t feel qualified to make a mask and sell it to someone and tell them they’re safe. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there. I did my best, but that’s maybe not good enough to sell to the general public. I want to be clear that I’m not passing judgment on anyone who is making & selling masks—so many great makers have setup donation funds or have pivoted to making PPE for healthcare workers. That’s dope and I totally support them.
My pal Ricky @toastteathreads made an excellent video showing you how to make your own mask, which you can do w a home sewing machine. There are lots of patterns and videos available online, too. But if you are still going to work and have to expose yourself to the public, DM me and I’ll get you some masks. 🖤 They are satisfying to make. Stay safe, y’all.

PS the blue shop towels in the photo are filter inserts! Apparently they are the best filter material and can increase the effectiveness of a mask to 90%. You can wash + reuse them, too.”

It’s worth reading the comments in the above Instagram post. A number of makers and small companies shared their thoughts on making masks, too.

Anyway things have changed since then; there was so much we didn’t know. Wearing a mask in public has become mandatory in many cities and states, and generally accepted as good and necessary behavior for living in a pandemic. Back in April we were wondering if buying masks for ourselves, as civilians, was depleting the PPE available to health care workers. Medical professionals weighed in, sometimes even to suggest that wearing a mask might be dangerous and the public couldn’t possibly do it right. Finally there was an understanding that mask wearing is generally about protecting others from the wearer, and less about protecting the wearer (except in the case of N95s and other medical grade PPE). And if we’re all covering our mouths and noses, then we’re all protecting one another!

I’ve made and worn a whole lotta masks since then. We have been wearing masks to work at the bike shop since April, so often I’m wearing one for 8-12 hours at a time. I also live in a city, so I wear a mask when I walk the dog, jog, or ride my bike. I personally own and use about 20 handmade masks. I’ve found I have different favorite masks depending on the weather and activity. Face masks are super quick and easy to make, so it was satisfying to be like, this doesn’t fit right, or, let’s try this new elastic, and then whip up a new test and be wearing it 15 minutes later. I also made a billion masks for my partner, friends and co-workers, from which I learned that faces are wildly different, and their sizes are impossible to gauge. Hence, the adjustable ear-loops. Even though I did a lot of “testing,” I am not a scientist. My “trials” were all about fit, comfort, and ease of production. While my design and materials choices were informed by scientific knowledge, I was not able to test the masks I make for aerosol filtration. Interestingly, I see lots of commercially produced reusable masks—sometimes from really big brands—that are stretchy, made from knit materials, single-layered, and generally appear to break all the guidelines for decent mask design as outlined by scientific research. So I thought, at least I did some fucking reading before putting this thing out into the world.

Things I tried and didn’t like in a face mask:

  • Form-fitting, or no pleats. They feel and look great and make you feel like you’re a Mortal Kombat character, but fall down when you talk.

  • Filter pockets. While a filter can increase the effectiveness of your mask, I find I just never take the time to fuss with a filter on a daily basis. And I know you won’t either. Plus creating the pocket nicely was a good bit of extra labor, and since I wanted to keep cost down I cut this out of the production masks.

  • Three layers of cotton. It just feels too heavy and difficult to breathe through.

  • No nose wire. Foggy glasses are the WORST!

  • White elastic. Eww. White never stays white.

To see what I’ve landed on for the final product check out the mask listing here!

Finished products!

Finished products!

Becky Newman2 Comments