Which materials are best for homemade face coverings?
Face coverings are now mandatory in many places in the UK wake of the coronavirus pandemic – with masks needed on public transport across the whole country as well as in shops in England and Scotland.
And while there are plenty of stylish coverings you can buy to avoid having to wear disposable ones, you could also save your pennies by making one yourself – which you can even do out of a T-shirt of pair of old socks.
But with some suggestions that silk masks may be better than cloth, just what is the best material you can use to make a homemade face covering?
Read on for advice…
Which materials are best for home-made face coverings?
Although any type of material can be used to make a face mask, scientists are – according to The New York Times – currently researching which type of fabric or other material is the most effective.
They write: ‘In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored well, as did vacuum cleaner bags, layers of 600-count pillowcases and fabric similar to flannel pyjamas.
‘Stacked coffee filters had medium scores. Scarves and bandanna material had the lowest scores, but still captured a small percentage of particles.’
Silk has also been recommended, with one doctor telling This Morning earlier this week that it’s a better alternative to the paper masks for those who are prone to skin breakouts.
Dr George Moncrieff told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford: ‘Silk has natural anti-bacterial properties.
‘It can be washed, they’re much more cooling, much less likely to get hot under there and as Eamonn points out it is easier to breathe through them.
‘These masks are to protect other people from your germs, we must be clear about that.’
In spite of these recommendations, a whole range of materials can be used to make a face covering – as long as they are clean.
You can find out how to make a face mask out of an old T-shirt here – while the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also has information on how to make a face covering.
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