4 December 2024
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Everybody’s fighting COVID-19. What can you do to protect yourself and others? Keep a distance of 1.5 meters, wash your hands, stay in your house and when going into stores or public spaces wear a mouth mask.
The last few weeks, people have started to make their own respiratory masks. But do they protect you well enough against the virus? There are three types of mouth masks which have their own function, only one type is the right one for safe breathing.
How to protect yourself?
Types of mouth masks
FFP2/3
The real deal are the medical mouth masks FFP2/3. These filter incoming air and form a barrier against bacteria and viruses. They are personal protective equipment. They only protect the wearer when there are gases and not just dust. Filtering incoming air is very important for doctors or nurses who come into direct contact with corona patients.
Surgical mouth masks
Since Monday April 13th, finally surgical mouth masks are produced in our own country, big applause for Belgian production companies Van Heurck and ECA. With their machines 190 million mouth masks can be made per year. There will also be a machine to produce FFP2 masks for use in the medical sector. In the medical sector, certain nurses need masks that provide two-way protection, protecting themselves and the patient on the one hand.
FFP1 and other mouth masks
A third type of mask is FFP1. This mask avoids partly that your own larger breathing drops spread far, but is no guarantee of protection for both parties.
Fake safety with scarves
And then there are mouth masks that only protect you from dust and odors. So they don’t keep a virus out. It can be dangerous to turn a scarf into a mask, for example. This is a breeding ground for viruses and absolutely inadvisable.
Personal mouth masks for use in public areas.
What about homemade or fabric mouth masks? These are anti-projection masks. They ensure that 50% of the air you breathe out stays closer to yourself and doesn’t reach as far to another person.
Companies or cities and towns that need larger quantities of mouth masks can contact the Belgian producers on this list of Creamoda. In the meantime, all Belgian fashion factories also switched to the production of general mouth masks for personal use. Those who buy in small quantities of 1 – 100 pieces for personal use can easily order online from the local designers listed below.
Handmade
Do you want to start making your own mouth cap? Then work with the pattern from the following website: https://maakjemondmasker.be These homemade masks are recommended by the Federal Public Health Administration. If you want to make it yourself, do it in a sustainable way! Work with recuperating substances and preferably organic cotton, so that you protect the environment as well as yourself. Attention natural fabrics such as cotton absorb more moisture. It is important that you put on a new mask (every half day) because bacteria accumulate on the inside. These ‘fashion masks’ with filter are therefore only suitable for people who want to reduce the risk of infecting others and keep the virus alive.
We also have to make sure that we don’t use excessively worn fabrics for mouth masks, or don’t wear mouth masks that have already been washed very often. With each wash, the textile loses fibres, which in turn allows more air to pass through and makes them less preventative.
In addition, a good mouth mask for daily use in shops, supermarkets or public transport always has room for a filter. According to the FOD guidelines, the designers below set to work and created mouth masks with room for such a filter.
In any case, social distancing, keeping a distance of 1.5 metres and good hand hygiene are still the most important measures.
Share the Passion
Mouth masks with bio nano coating
Share the Passion from Zedelgem has recently started making eco-friendly mouth masks. They are made in Portugal from bamboo, which is antibacterial. There is also bio nano coating in this mask which has an antibacterial effect, viral protection and permanent breath odour control. The advantage is that the masks can be washed 100 times. Much less waste from disposable mouth masks.
Ida&Volta
At Ida&Volta, transparency, ecology and circularity are extremely important. Besides clothing, they produce mouth masks. They consist of 100% organic cotton and are GOTS certified. Transparency is important, also when producing mouth masks. The cotton comes from Uganda and is woven in Germany. Finally, they are made in Ghent. Thanks to the 2 layers of cotton, there is room for a filter.
DIY sewing kit from Sprookjesstof
At Sprookjesstof you can order a sewing kit to make your own mouth mask out of upcycled Kioko Kids fabrics. This contains fabric for 4 mouth masks and is 100% organic cotton and GOTS certified. You will be surprised by nice prints and beautiful colors.
Op zoek naar 100% Fairtrade en GOTS-gecertificeerd bio katoenen mondmaskers voor jouw bedrijf of organisatie? Bij ACP in Bornem kan je mondmaskers laten bedrukken van het merk Neutral. De maskers dragen het Fairtrade label en het merk is heel transparant over hun productieproces!
Bamboo Belgium
Personalised company masks
Bamboo Belgium masks are made in Portugal from bamboo, which is antibacterial. A bio-nano coating was added onto this mask that for an antibacterial effect, viral protection and permanent control of breath odour. These masks can be washed up to 100 times – much less waste than disposable masks.
But even better, Bamboo Belgium is the only Belgian supplier that can make larger bulk orders to print your company logos on truly sustainable material; FSC Bamboo. Other ‘regular advertising print shops’ print on (recycled) polyester, each time releasing microplastic when washed.
As a consumer, you can buy Bamboo Belgium masks for men or children individually from Bloom Conscious Clothing.
Anders Getint
At Anders Getint you’ll find linen mouth masks from the Living Crafts brand with an elastic band for behind the ear and a flexible metal brace at the nose. The mouth masks are designed in Germany and are made in Turkey.
Anders Getint also sells mouth masks from ‘t Collectief. These are made in Leuven by people with psychological vulnerability. The masks are made of organic cotton and based on the pattern of FOD.
MINIMAL
At MINIMAL in Antwerp, you will find mouth masks from the brand Tilley. The masks are 100% cotton and easy to adjust thanks to the adjustable stretcher.
Harvest Club
At Harvest Club in Leuven sells several nice mouth masks. You’ll find mouth masks made of upcycled stock material, 100% made in Belgium.
You’ll also find 100% cotton mouth masks designed by Ghent illustrator Helen B. The masks are made in Portugal and come in a 100% biodegradable bag.
Rand
At Rand in Mortsel you find fun mouth masks of the Dutch brand A‑dam. The mouth masks consist of 95% GOTS organic and 5% elastane and are made of residual materials.
How do you safely put on and take off a mask?
Although wearing a mask does already ensure you’re better protected from the virus, you have to wear it in the correct way. Follow the instructions below or watch the movie here:
If you put it on, you have to go through the following steps:
1. Wash your hands
2. Grab it by the ends of the strings
3. Do not touch the inside of the mask
4. Place the mask over your nose and mouth by moving the mask on the outside.
Follow these steps to take off the mask:
1. Wash your hands
2. Loosen it behind your ears with the strings, but don’t touch your face.
3. Do the mouth mask by the laundry and wash it at 90°.
4. Wash your hands
Put your mask in a ziplock bag and don’t let it lying around. Don’t forget to use a filter, good examples are a coffee filter or a vacuum cleaner filter.
Don’t Corona litter
and protect yourself and others
Keep up the good work designers!
And those who wear masks publicly please use reusable ones and don’t throw them on the ground or in nature after use. People seeing masks or gloves in nature please document them and share the pictures to your socials with hashtag #coronalitter.
