Masks-the new fashion accessory
 

Since masks are clearly the new international fashion accessory,please post your favorites!


I have this one--I love the brown/black floral and the mask is comfortable. But I am also doing a lot of online shopping for family members finding their favorite cartoon characters, themes, etc.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/8071769...active_8&pro=1

ooh! Love the topic, I am absolutely collecting "nice" masks to make them fun for me & others to wear!

This etsy seller makes the most comfy ones I've found (I have a big nose & ears and have discovered that causes problems: https://www.etsy.com/listing/792327607/washable-face-mask-with-nose-wire-adults

My husband's favorite "nice" masks are Reyn Spooner https://www.reynspooner.com/products...s-rayon-cotton

And the worst ones I've purchased are the Disney ones. They don't fully fit over the face, and they started losing thread after I wore them even once.

I really, really like my St John Knits mask. Fits comfortably and is surprisingly breathable. Also easy to hand wash and hangs dry.

https://www.stjohnknits.com/a210c79-...id-mask-splash

Far and away my most comfortable "nice" masks come from Grayers:
Grayers mask assortment multi pack

They've changed up the patterns since I ordered but I have the navy one pictured and I just love it. The masks are made from the same fabric as their shirts so the fabric is lovely, the adjustable strip at the top works to make the fit better.

I was all set to buy a set of Disney masks and saw that they got such consistently poor reviews that I gave up on the notion. Too bad, because they are cute, and seem like a nice idea when I am in a whimsical mood.

Etsy has a lot of sellers making "bootleg" ones. I got a nice Haunted Mansion wallpaper pattern one for my daughter there.

Been using my masks from Tom Bihn which have nice tights material ear loops and nose wire (yay for glasses wearers). I've been saving various patterns to sew up a few with custom fit & filter pocket which might stay up better while talking in a variety of more cheerful colors or prints. There's also some clever ones which use zip ties as stays or darts if you prefer it to stay off your nose.

I've also been looking at kf94 Korean masks which are rated for 94% filtration which would be between a procedural and US N95. Sometimes you should prioritize protecting yourself and/or high risk household member(s). You can top it with a fabric mask for style. Pay attention to fit and filtration as there are many different styles. As long as there's no valve, it also protects others. My face is "Asian fit" aka "Nose bridge challenged" so some of the Asian masks might work a bit better for me, with or without a brace for better seal https://www.fixthemask.com/ I used to get JP Unicharm masks with soft ear loops in "women/tween size"

Soom Labs for nano filters (vs electrostatic) and can be disinfected and Dr Puri (lab tested by CDC and did pretty well).
Dr Puri from KM Act US https://kmact.com/products/dr-puri-k...32055327785045 KR kmbiz.com corp linked web store for Dr Puri with KR certification screenshots https://smartstore.naver.com/mfbshop...cts/4072435942
Waiting on Soom Labs nano filter testing https://soomlab-korea.com/ Their similar nano filter Air Queen had quality control variances but still well above the non-surgical loop mask. It is supposed to be more breathable and can be disinfected to wear a few times.

Other options which I don't have filtration test results for (have not used this seller myself) https://behealthyusa.net/ - Beware the polyurethane Pitta style mask (original). It's not useful for preventing virus spread (or receipt). https://www.arax.co.jp/pittamask/en/qa/index.html and offer the 2.5a model with electrostatic & meltblown filter https://www.arax.co.jp/pittamask/en/...product02.html instead.

You can also save the ear loops to repurpose as hair ties. If you find a disposable mask with nose piece you like, disinfect and cut it up to check what kind of nose piece it is. Some are like coffee ties while others are thinner twist ties.

Unfortunately masks made from knit fabric get very poor safety ratings. Stretchy knit fabric is very porous compared to woven fabrics.

A friend of mine did a lot of research on fabric and design before starting up a small business. She makes woven fabric masks with toggle fastenings that are really comfortable. I can personally recommend them - I own 5 of them now. She posts her masks on twitter as @AbingtonLions

I just got a set of four from Nordstrom ($20 with free shipping that arrived in several days) that are very professional prints: navy check, navy stripes, black and off white windowpane, and black and white abstract geometric print. They have little plastic things to enable one to adjust the ear loops, so I think I like them, but they smell a bit so require laundering before use.

Nieman Marcus has some that cost as much as $85 for one face mask. IMO they look nice but not that nice. Some have glitter or are otherwise designed for evening wear.

I suspect I'll tend to lose them, so I'm aiming for an interesting variety to coordinate with clothing that aren't just florals or boring solids.

I have mixed feelings about the copper infused fabric masks that are advertised as I'm not sure I want tiny little bits of copper in my washing machine. I'm avoiding them for now.

I will have to look at those. Thank s for the link!!!!

I wore this one for 6 hours today. As I was overdue for a haircut last March and still haven't gotten one, my hair is about 8 inches longer than I'd like, so I put it up most days. One nice thing about the toggle mask is it doesn't mess up my hair - or tug on my ears, which I hate. It's also nice to support a small business.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...acc984a03c.jpg

Ugh - masks that smell bad. Where were they made?

Also, what's the rationale for copper infused masks? I know it has some antibiotic/antiviral properties, but I'm skeptical that COVID particles floating through the air would manage to land only the copper and not pass through the fabric.

Pre-COVID copper and silver infused cotton research https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4717125/ Not sure I'd pay more for the copper feature, either. It's also not an instant coronavirus killer https://www.nytimes.com/article/copp...rus-masks.html

Patagonia uses Polygiene Silver for odor control https://www.patagonia.com.au/pages/p...e-odor-control inhibits bacteria since synthetics can harbor bacteria more easily than some natural fibers. I've never visibly noticed the treatment on my Patagonia gridded fleeces.

Speaking of funny smelling, the New Balance mask looks like they applied sneaker manufacturing techniques and materials but forgot to use a low gassing adhesive/bonding method because it seemed to smell like a sneaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWKNC_KpmVY

https://roimauriciendeshabits.com/collections/masques

If you are in Canada, this company has lovely masks. Nice quality and lightweight. I have a a few of these and they are my favourite compared to the Old Navy ones, or the medical masks we get from the office.

The problem with using silver, copper, etc. for treating fabrics to prevent them from smelling bad is those metals are some of the last line of defense against multidrug-resistant organisms. The widespread use of silver where it really isn't needed - like in clothing - is contributing to the rise of bacteria that are resistant even to silver compounds ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6636436/ ). If we lose silver as a therapeutic agent, the human race is pretty much screwed when it comes to treating certain types of infections. Unfortunately companies are free to put us all at risk for a marketing ploy.