MANUFACTURE CORONAVIRUS MASK – Wearing a mask is compulsory in public transport, and recommended in public spaces. Instead of buying it, many French people sew it themselves. If you want to make your mask, discover the Afnor standards, our cars, patterns and advice.
[Mis à jour le 15 mai 2020 à 18h03] Since the start of the health crisis, the mask has raised debate. Should we wear it? Is it effective? Should it be made compulsory? If the Academy of Medicine recommends wearing protection to “retain [l]es postillons and avoid their dispersion in the immediate environment “, the government opted for an obligation only in public transport. Surgical masks or washable cloth are now sold in supermarkets and pharmacies. But if you want a protection personalized to your taste, making your mask appears to be a good option.Choosing colors, patterns, prints, you can let your creativity speak while remaining protected.
Please note, not all homemade masks are created equal in terms of protection against coronavirus. The manufacture of these fabric protections has not yet been the subject of a scientific study on its effectiveness against Covid-19, but in 2009, researchers from the University of Cambridge, in England looked into the issue during the flu epidemic. The most filtering materials would be vacuum filters and tea towels, but they are too thick or rigid and prevent breathing. However, we must find the right balance between protection and breathing. The 100% cotton fabric would be the big winner for the manufacture of a mask, a recommendation shared by Afnor.
It is not always easy to find your way around to make a mask to standards, so that it is as effective as possible. While some have had time to refine their technique during confinement, others are embarking on the exercise for the first time. Fortunately, the tutorials have flourished on the Web to allow the French to make their mask without making a mistake. The only outstanding question therefore remains: which fabric to choose? Until you decide, find the instructions below to make your mask, tutorials and patterns to Afnor standards.
Many of you are rightly looking for documents and recommendations from Afnor, the French agency responsible for evaluating standards in France (like the NF standard). “The performance of any mask can be deteriorated by a faulty implementation,” recalls Afnor, which gives recommendations for practical use for people who are not used to wearing a mask, while companies are invited to check the level of efficiency of those they order for their employees, referring to the document “Afnor Sec – Barrier masksEmployers will thus be able to know what are “the requirements set and what level of protection should be associated with the masks ordered”.
The authority published in late March its recommendations for manufacturers but also individuals for artisanal manufacturing. These masks are the ones with the best protection rates (excluding surgical masks and FFP2). They however ask for material and some notions of sewing. Linternaute.com was able to consult it in a few minutes after requesting the document on the Afnor website. You can make the request directly via a form by clicking below.
Many patterns have been posted on the web in recent days. Here is that of a duckbill mask published by Afnor and available in the document to download above.
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You can also find all the patterns provided by Afnor and the advice by clicking on the button below: