Now that the pollution is getting more extreme and the pandemic is spreading uncontrollably, face masks are consequently becoming must-have items for almost everyone in the world. They are even out of stock sometimes. To avoid the situation of getting no face mask left to buy, you can totally make your own ones and even sell them to others. To sew a face mask, the most important thing is to find the right type of fabric.
When it comes to choosing the cloth for your handmade face masks, there are some factors that you should consider:
Fabric quality: The tightness of the weave is very crucial. Check this by examining if you can see the outline of each individual fiber when you hold the fabric up to light. If you don’t, it means the weave is tight enough. The tighter the fibers are, the better your face mask is.
Thickness: A thick face mask can filter a greater number of particles. In this case, multiple layers are highly recommended. A cloth mask should have at least two layers of tightly woven fabric. You can also add another top layer. However, make sure that the layers do not make the mask too hard and tough. Remember you still need to breathe.
To choose the best fabric for face masks, here are some recommendations for you:
Cotton
Cotton is the most popular material in the textile industry. They can be used to make almost everything. Cotton fabric has tiny fibers that can prevent dusk and even some kinds of viruses. Tightly woven 100% cotton outperforms most synthetics in filtering. This is because cotton fibers have a three-dimensional structure that can create extra barriers to prevent small articles. What is more, cotton is very budget-friendly and easy to find from the market. You can even make use of your old clothes made of cotton to transform it to a number of face masks. Very economical and environmentally friendly as well.
Nylon is proved to be very effective in filtration. It can remove a great percent of large particles and even small ones while ensuring that you can still breathe well.
Natural fibers
Natural fibers over synthetic are recommended materials for face masks since they can boost the filtering capabilities thanks to its roughness and irregularity.
When considering the best fabric types for your face masks, do take note of the following:
It is advisable for you to use woven fabrics over knits. The filtering capabilities depend on the tightness of the weave. The tighter it is, the better the protection your mask can provide.
Avoid using porous materials and those with large openings.
You can combine different materials to ensure the adequate layers, as long as you can breath well.
Avoid fabrics treated with bleach and harsh chemicals.
In conclusion, most common household fabrics, such as T-shirt cotton should be the most suitable material for a cloth face mask. Multilayer cotton face masks are strong enough to filter dusts and tiny particles. You also do not need to spend too much on buying new material to make homemade face masks since the material must be available almost everywhere in your clothes cabinet. The diversity in colors and patterns can help you produce unique personal face masks.