Check out our video tutorials for directions on our recommended mask design using elastic or ties, and information about the materials we recommend, safe handling procedures, and why we insist on using nonwoven fabric in our masks.
MASK MAKING Instructions
Tutorial: How to Make a Mask with Elastic
Tutorial: How to Make a Mask with Ties
How to MAKE TIES
Tutorial: How to make ties from t-shirts
Tutorial: How to make ties from woven cotton
Tutorial: How to make ties from legging material
MATERIALS & SAFE HANDLING
Tutorial: Mask Materials & Safe Handling Procedures
FAQs & Tutorial: Nonwoven Fabrics
References for nonwoven material research:
Macintyre, C. R., Seale, H., Dung, T. C., Hien, N. T., Nga, P. T., Chughtai, A. A., … Wang, Q. (2015). A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers. BMJ Open, 5(4). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006577
Rengasamy, A., Zhuang, Z., & BerryAnn, R. (n.d.). Respiratory protection against bioaerosols: Literature review and research needs. American Journal of Infection Control , 32(6), 345–354. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2004.04.199
Rengasamy, S., Eimer, B., & Shaffer, R. E. (2010). Simple Respiratory Protection—Evaluation of the Filtration Performance of Cloth Masks and Common Fabric Materials Against 20–1000 nm Size Particles. The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 54(7), 789–798. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/meq044
Wingert, L., Cloutier, Y., Hallé, S., Bahloul, A., Tessier, D., Giraudel, J.-L., … Tuduri, L. (2019). Filtering performances of 20 protective fabrics against solid aerosols. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 16(8), 592–606. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2019.1628967
** Also of interest, BMJ article author’s response to COVID-19 here.