Update July 2021: We are no longer listing masks and supplies online, please contact us if you are looking to purchase these items.
Mask Care
Proper handling and washing are essential for this product to be effective. Please follow the guidelines set for by the Center for Disease Control, or other health authorities in your area.
- Wash your mask before use, fabric has not been pre-washed.
- Hand wash mask, to avoid shrinkage and unnecessary wear & tear.
- Knot the elastic on your mask tightly once proper fit is determined.
- If your mask came with a rubber mask adjuster, tie a knot to keep the adjuster from coming off.
We strongly recommend hand washing your mask to keep it lasting the longest. Please note that some shrinkage after drying may occur as the fabric is not preshrunk.
Metal Nosepieces
The metal nosepiece is removable and replaceable on many of our masks, but not all of them. If you have a removable nosepiece, you can take it out before laundering for a longer-lasting mask. We also sell replacement nosepieces. If your metal nosepiece gets bent, you can straighten out with your fingertips. Many nosepieces have flat edges that would benefit from being rounded when being inserted into a mask. Although you can file your metal nosepieces with an emery board, it is easy to round them with scissors as well.
Mask Wearing
If you purchased a mask with ties, the bottom side may have a loop rather than loose ties. Put the mask around your neck like a bib with the nosepiece on the bottom, slide up and tie the loose ties on the back of your head.
If you find that you prefer one style of ear loop or tie over another, we do have our ties available for purchase by the yard on our website.
We find that pleated masks with ties are most comfortable for all day wear because the pleats allow airflow, while the ties are less irritating to the ears. Contour masks tend to be best for shorter outings, for example, running errands. Ear loops are easier to take on and off, and are a great option for kids in particular.
Ear Saver
If you wear your mask for long periods of time and it loops behind your ears you may experience ear fatigue from the elastic. We're seeing many clever solutions for this and have created our own "ear saver" from recycled copper. It's even stamped with a little Upper Peninsula silhouette.
Hearing Aids
If you wear hearing aids, the elastic may not be the best choice as it can make the hearing aid pop out of your ear. An option if you already wear a hearing aid is to use one of our ear savers. In the event that we are sold out of them, you can also use monkeys in a barrel ;)
Our masks with cloth ties would be better for an individual with a hearing aid. If the individual may have trouble tying behind their head, a second-best option is our masks with the adjustable elastic loop that can be re-tied.
Elastic Adjusters
Make quick adjustments to you mask elastic or ties. Adjusters have two different size holes on the ends which help secure elastic in place (5mm and 3mm). Works with all elastic available on our masks.
Update July 2021: We are no longer listing masks and supplies online, please contact us if you are looking to purchase these items.