Face Mask FAQs
Wash it before you wear it.
Wash it before you reverse it.
Wash it before you share it.
Wash it before you wear it: You can wash by hand or machine, with dish soap or laundry detergent (do not use fabric softener). Also, factory fresh fabric often has surface treatments (“sizing”) which makes it stiffer. A good wash and dry will make your face mask fresh and soft — and you should repeat the process regularly to keep your mask clean and germ free.
Size Selection: We currently offer two adult sizes. Though facial dimensions vary widely, and are difficult to determine on your own with string and a ruler, it turns out head size is closely correlated to height. We find Medium fits most "average height" people. If you are 5-feet tall or shorter, consider Small. If you are 6-feet tall or taller, consider Large. People seem to have a sense for whether they have a "small" or "large" face/head. Another simple way to choose your size is based on your baseball cap size. Large/XL cap = Large mask. Medium/Small cap = Medium mask.
(Adult small, not child small).
No Returns: For health reasons, fabric face masks are not returnable. All sales are final. If your mask is not to your liking, please wash and dry it, seal it in a ziplock bag, and give it to a family member or close friend.
Material Selection: We use a variety of fine-woven fabrics, including 100-percent cotton and cotton/polyester blends. The fabrics are selected to provide a balance of filtering performance, breathability and comfort. These fabrics are a mix of clothing from our inventory and material sourced specifically for this project.
Fabric Layers: Each mask is constructed with two/three layers of fine-woven material (depending on the fabric type).
Elastic Ear Bands: Our design employs over-ear elastic bands. We selected this design, rather than behind-the-head elastic bands and non-elastic ties, for ease of use and superior fit for our sculpted mask design. Both styles have pros and cons in different use scenarios, and we concluded the over-ear style is best for use by the general public for occasional outings.
Filter Pocket: Our design does not include a filter pocket. We believe three layers of fine woven fabric provide an optimal level of performance, comfort and manufacturability, without the need for additional filter elements.
Eyeglass Fogging: Eyeglass fogging is a common face mask issue. I pull my mask up to the top of my nose bridge, and set my glasses on top of the mask, about 1/2 inch forward from the top, so my exhale is restricted and redirected just enough, up and over the lenses, to prevent fogging.
Here are a few other recommendations:
***Why wear a face mask: We believe proper use of a face mask by the general public is an essential practice for disease CONTAINMENT — preventing contagious individuals from spreading disease to other individuals and groups of individuals in public and work settings — and for this reason alone, anyone moving about in public or working around other people, should wear a well-designed face mask FOR THE PROTECTION OF OTHERS — especially given the scientifically proven fact that anyone can be unknowingly highly contagious before showing symptoms (“presymptomatic”) or without showing symptoms at all (“asymptomatic”). Please wear a face mask to protect those around you. What you don’t know can harm others. Wearing is caring.
More reasons to wear a mask:
Wearing a fabric mask instead of a medical grade mask diverts public demand for precious medical grade masks, which should be reserved exclusively for medical personnel and first responders.
Wearing a fabric mask serves as a reminder to keep your hands off your face.
Wearing a fabric mask signals to others around you that you take this crisis seriously, and they should too.
If everyone wears a mask, we all help keep germs off of public surfaces, thereby furthering the containment effort.
Wholesale Pricing, Quantity Discounts and Professional Discounts: Our face masks are made by hand with high-quality materials made by us, the Rendered Inc. team. The unit price reflects our sustainable cost of manufacturing and direct sales, with no additional margin for wholesale distribution or discounts. We are offering the same price to all purchasers. We acknowledge that there are less expensive alternatives. We are trying to make something useful, while staying in business, so we can eventually get back to the business of selling sustainably sourced clothing!
DISCLAIMER: Public health officials and medical professionals alike have repeatedly emphasized that fabric face masks are NOT “personal protective equipment” (PPE), and there is little scientific research characterizing the efficacy of fabric face masks for personal disease protection. Furthermore, face mask performance is highly dependent on various factors, including mask design, individual mask-to-face fit, and material selection. WEARING A FACE MASK OF ANY KIND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER PRECAUTIONS, such as physical distancing, washing your hands, and keeping your hands off your face.