People making face masks to sell

[ImFree2doasiwant]

I've seen loads of these pop up on Facebook, people making face masks and selling to the general public.

I hadn't thought much of it, until today I saw an ad for tweed face masks.

There's no regulation on people making and selling them, no idea of they are effective or nut, and most of all in this case, i cant imagine wanting to wear a mask made of tweed!

Aibu to think tweed face masks are madness? (Light hearted....)

There's no regulation on whether they work or not because the government advice is for "face covering" not a mask which conforms to a particular specification.

However I cannot imagine a tweed face mask is at all comfortable and what on earth was the maker thinking!

Tweeds fine if lined with cotton though

And will be nice and warm for winter

There no regulations on any masks, you can wear a scarf all day then pop it around your face when you go into a shop. Just seems a bit pointless to me really, but there we go.

There isn't a lot of evidence about any kind of face covering being "effective".

The government is hoping that mandating their use in shops will be more effective at encouraging people back into shops to get the economy going, than merely encouraging their use.

That's the measure of "effective" they're interested in. I don't believe for a minute it has anything to do with their efficacy in reducing transmission of the virus.

I just buy the designer ones as the home made ones tend to be bulky. I can’t imagine ever needing a tweed face covering outside of a blustery day along the north sea coast.

There's no regulation on people making and selling them, no idea of they are effective or not

Because the government hasn't provided any regulations. A face covering is all that's required.

I prefer the home made ones. I have some beautiful Japanese cotton ones, with liners to insert filters, which I use. I prefer having something washable and reusable than the disposable ones which are littering the streets where I live.

Yep I agree, I keep seeing discarded ones on the streets. Buy a fabric one and it'll get reused. I wouldn't buy tweed though as it would absorb a lot of water if it rained.

I've seen them for family and friends (and now fiends of friends)

I followed advice online about the best fabrics to use (2 layer cotton 1 layer non-woven liner) and hoped most other home sewers will do the same.

But I guess not!

Wow typos.

Sewn not seen.

Friends not fiends.

I crochet masks for friends and family. 100% Aran cotton. Tightly stitched with a 2.5mm hook. I then make a pocket which holds a 5 layer filter.

They wash up very well and dry quickly. Also as an asthmatic I can wear these but none of the industrial masks which are either an unsuitable material or have a strong residual smell.

Plus, one use paper masks are horrid for the environment.

All that said I think they are fantastic if the maker puts a bit of thought into it.

The government has now launched a kite mark for masks to regulate their quality. To get the kite mark the mask has to filter 70% of particles.

I spent a lot of time researching masks before I made them. At the time (I haven't checked whether it still does), the gov.uk website was recommending that you cut up an old t-shirt and tie that over your face as a single layer.

The mask thing is a joke, the only reason the government has recommended them is because it gives some people a false sense of security. No one wears them correctly, they pull them down over their chin as soon as they leave the shop or don't even cover their nose to begin with.

Yes, a tweed facemask sounds awful, you can guarantee they will not be used correctly.

@SecretSquirreI could I ask what you use for the non-woven layer please? Is it like interfacing?

Tweed sounds like a dense material. But uncomfortable if next to skin. What you can wear consistently will be the most effective, & if you're most comfortable in tweed then that's probably the most effective product for you coz you're more likely to wear it consistently.

I'm in a US state that has mandated face coverings of any kind since well before we started reopening.

We're about 6 weeks ahead of the UK in terms of reopening, and we've seen no spike in cases, so I'm guessing whatever we're doing is working.

I've been making double-layer pleated masks, with an opening for an additional filter layer, out of washable poly/cotton. Not tweed!
You can sanitise the fabric with a hot steam iron.
Good test is that you should not be able to blow out a candle through a mask.
£350.00 + raised for the local food bank.

You only have to wear a face covering I don't like masks so will just be wearing thinest thing l can around my face if l have to go into a shop.
It's a stupid rule. I have been working and shopping since this started. Masks don't protect people that touch them and pull them off and on between shops.

Masks/face coverings are for the protection of others not you

wool is loose weave so no not the best unless layered up with a cotton liner and filter between - its a style thing rather than anything else.

Designer anything is a waste of money whatever in my view - but if you have it to throw at the problem go ahead

There are many free face coverings available including no doubt a shed load of scarves in peoples wardrobes - stick a nose piece on and two bits of elastic and scarves can be worn as well and as easily as anything else without slipping off

@SunnyAgain yes I use Vilene H250 interfacing.

For all of you saying masks don’t work, and that it’s a stupid rule here’s a fact. There are 5 US states where numbers of cases and deaths are declining. Guess what they all have in common? Face coverings.
Guess what all the states that are surging have in common? People not wearing face coverings.
It’s pretty simple really.
Yes, face coverings don’t stop the virus but they make it more difficult for the virus to spread. Why wouldn’t you wear one?
Just wear a bloody mask.

@SecretSquirreI

I've seen them for family and friends (and now fiends of friends)

I followed advice online about the best fabrics to use (2 layer cotton 1 layer non-woven liner) and hoped most other home sewers will do the same.

But I guess not!

Sorry for hijack but what do you use for the 'non-woven liner' @SecretSquirrel?

Our council actually posted regulations for making masks that are to be sold.

They stipulate that the fabric/dyes must be suitable for wearing close to skin, must be breathable, no sharp bits etc. More of a consumer protection stance of "wearing this will not hurt you" as opposed to them working to guaranteed standard.

I really hate Nicola Sturgeon's tartan one and dislike the status symbol they're becoming. Handmade twee prints for upwardly mobile women women and (worse) teens needing the right kind of mask which make them look like gangsters to get on the bus

My dgd with her high fashion facemask