We know that buying a face mask during this Coronavirus pandemic can be overwhelming. There are so many options and you want to choose one that's not only going to be comfortable to wear but one that actually works and isn't just going to end up in the bin. It's definitely a strange addition to our wardrobe but being protected and protecting others is the most important factor right now.
I'm sure we don't need to have the discussion of disposable vs reusable. Those of you who are already here are on the right page.
Needless to say this is about non medical face masks which of course are being saved for those who work in hospitals and other medical settings.
Whilst throwing a scarf or a bit of t-shirt around your face may offer a little bit of protection, the fact that it's a thin layer touching right against your face actually puts you at a higher risk of infection. Imagine a water droplet landing on the outside of that - it's going to absorb straight through onto your skin, or worse into your mouth or nose.
We've done a lot of research into face masks over the last months, including webinars, research papers and personal testing, so that we could bring you a quality product that we are 100% confident in.
You've probably seen the statistics on the rate of risk reducing dramatically everyone wears a mask, so that's the goal. If you're going to be close together- less than 2m wear a mask. The government made a big fuss that they don't really protect you, but we know otherwise.
Our SwimCell face masks needed to be good quality, cotton, light weight, well fitted, have a filter pocket, an adjustable nose wire, rounded elastic with adjustable toggles and also be easy and comfortable to wear. Whatever you do, don't choose polyester- mostly made from plastic, it's hot enough under a mask already without making it any warmer.
We tried lots of masks and chose not to add an exhale valve for 2 reasons.
1) If you don't wear an additional PM2.5 filter inside, these let your unfiltered air out of the vent, the whole point of wearing face masks at the moment is to stop that exhales air and potential infected droplets from escaping to those around you.
2) After being in the washing machine the little silicone disk inside can easily become detached and even removed leaving you with a massive hole and reducing your protection.
SwimCell reusable face masks are made from 3 layers of quality cotton. They're soft on your face and washable with the rest of your laundry. Please do not microwave your mask as there is a metal nose wire in there.
This nose wire helps the mask sit against your face snugly. If you wear glasses, you can stop your glasses fogging up by wearing the glasses over the top of the mask.
Our masks used on their own meet the WHO guidelines for a personal face covering. Adding the addition 5 layers of PM2.5 filter takes this mask to the next level. We include 4 filters in your pack and we have packs of 10 or 24 that you can purchase.
The PM2.5 filters filter out particles up to 2.5 microns in size. Coronavirus is smaller than this, however if you have 8 layers between your mouth and nose and the environment around you it will give you very good protection.
There are some rules you need to follow though in order to use your mask responsibility.
Don't touch it when it's on your face- that might be contaminated.
Wash your hands before and after you wear it.
Remove it using the elastic from behind your ear.
Put it directly into a safe place or the washing machine.
If you're not able or don't want to wash it you can leave it for 4 days before using again. (please check government guidelines for updated advice for how long coronavirus might last of fabric)
Our masks come in a pack of 2. Wear one - wash one, or one for you - one for me. Once we all get back out in the real world it's likely we're going to need quite a collection of masks especially because of the rules wearing them on public transport. If you wear the mask to work in the morning, you need to be really careful wearing that same mask again in the evening. The best thing to do, is assume it has the virus on it. Act like it does.
You'll probably notice other benefits of wearing the mask, you'll pick up less colds, breathe in less pollution, have less exposure to pollen. Think about having your face covered on an airplane, you're going to inhale a lot less germs that are flying around the cabin. If you're going on holiday or travelling for work any time in the next year this is going to be essential kit for the airport and travel. You're probably going to need a few to take with you especially if you're not going to have access to a washing machine.
We have 2 sizes of face masks, adult and kids. Both can have a couple of stitches put in at the side to help them fit smaller faces if needed. This literally takes 2 minutes and we include instructions on how to do this. You'll just need a needle and thread.
Do feel free to let us know any other questions you have about the masks. All the photos you can see are modelled on a real person and have not been altered. What you see is what you get.
Thanks for reading and click here to choose your masks now.
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