Tinygami Masks

You’ve purchased or received a Tinygami surgical-style mask as a gift. While my masks are not certified by the FDA or CDC I am, in good faith and to the best of my abilities (both in research and sewing skills), creating masks that focus first on protective qualities. To be clear, they are not the same as an N95 mask and should not be believed to be as protective to others or the wearer as an N95 mask.

Worn without the insert/filter my masks have the same property to filter particles that most other two layer, cotton masks other home and professional sewers are creating whose purpose is to protect others from germs you may spread when you breathe, speak, cough, or sneeze.

One difference is my masks do have an additional third fabric layer consisting of a fine, tightly woven mesh used as a finished, interior pocket to hold an additional filter layer if desired. Using the blue shop towels included with the masks one can reasonably conclude that the towel offers a degree of protection to the wearer as well based on the research done in this article that two layers of the Seller’s brand of shop towels were tested and found to filter out particles as small as 0.3 microns. This does not mean that using the towels as inserts are guaranteed to filter all particles as small as 0.3 microns when word as a mask. Other factors, most importantly the fit of the mask and its ability to create a tight seal around the nose and mouth, play a part in maximizing the filtration ability of any mask including N95 masks.

If you are interested in ordering a mask please contact me through my website contact form by clicking here.

Fitting, Wearing, washing instructions

PLEASE NOTE: If you choose to machine wash and dry your mask it is imperative you remove the metal strip from the nose bridge casing so it doesn’t fall out during the wash cycle. Also place mask in a lingerie bag to keep the straps from tangling. Both could damage your appliances. Additionally do not over-dry in a hot dryer. Hand washing in hot, soapy water and laying flat to dry are recommended.

PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS (Letter sized paper 8.5”x11”)

CLICK HERE to print a single copy of care instructions

CLICK HERE to print 2 copies of care instructions

Washing Instructions:

1. Gently and carefully remove the nose wire before washing by simply guiding it (by touch) out of the small opening along the bottom stitching. I’ve found the easiest way to do this is to hold the mask facing you and simply slide the wire out by pinching it through the top layer of both the front and back of the mask fabric. In early production I did not use the plasti-dip to coat the wire ends. If they get caught on the mesh please gently guide fabric out as if removing a fish hook.

2. Remove blue shop towel insert when washing and wash separately. The towel insert(s) that came with your mask can be washed at least three times and still maintain their ability to filter particles as small as 0.3 microns according to this article in Business Insider titled “Using blue shop towels in homemade face masks can filter particles 2x to 3x better than cotton, 3 clothing designers discover after testing dozens of fabrics”

3. Wash with soap and hot water by hand or machine. If washing in machine place mask in a garment bag to prevent straps from tangling.

4. Dry flat or if machine drying do not over-dry in very hot dryer.

Replacing the filter/insert

Watch this video above to learn how to replace the filter/insert after washing.

It’s a little tricky but if you turn the mask inside out and use your fingers to set the pleats in place like in the video it’s not difficult once you get the hang of it.

If you find it too difficult you can simply fold the liner in half and insert into the pocket but make sure it stays pushed towards the top when you put it on so the filter remains over your nostrils as you breathe.

About Mask Fabrics

There's a plethora of information out there about what fabrics to use to sew them with. These are the sources I felt were most reliable. You can read and judge for yourself what makes the most sense to you:

• From the CDC: Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

• Open Source COVID19 Medical Supply Guide - View Here

      - Face Masks - View Here 

• Business Insider titled “Using blue shop towels in homemade face masks can filter particles 2x to 3x better than cotton, 3 clothing designers discover after testing dozens
  

• News Article NYT: What's the Best Material for a Mask? - View Here

For more information about the masks I am making or sewing your own masks please visit the links above and these blog posts on my Patreon page:

• How to insert a mask filter into a Tinygami surgical-style mask

• We Can Sew It - DIY surgical mask pleating tutorial

To everyone around the world who is doing their best to keep all of us safe by social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, and taking any and all precautions you can I’d like to say thank you. To those who aren’t doing all, or even any of these things, I wish the same for you as those who are, that we all (ourselves, our loved ones, and communities) emerge from this healthy and whole when we come out on the other side of this very challenging time.