“I want to make masks! How can I help?”
A guide for home sewists
Open-Source COVID19 Medical Supplies
Updated 5/12/2020 9:51 PM (GMT-4)
Dear home sewers, crafters, and makers,
We’re so glad you’re here. Your enthusiasm, creativity, and attention to detail are so important.
Before you begin sewing masks, there are some things you need to know. The goal of this information is to make sure you can help people. Without good information, it is easy to cause harm by accident. These are the 3 most important things to know:
- Make connections with other people sewing in your area.
- Do not overwhelm local hospitals with phone calls.
- Doctors and engineers have created tools to help you. Use these tools.
If you want to make masks to help people, this guide will tell you how to get started. There are 3 main steps you will need to follow.
- Make local connections.
- Make quality masks.
- Recruit people to join your local organization.
Please read through all of the steps before taking action.
Well wishes,
OSCMS Community Engagement
Table of Contents
Resource Links - Quick Reference
STEP ONE: Make Local Connections
STEP THREE: Recruit People to Join Your Local Organization
Resource Links - Quick Reference
- OSCMS guide to face masks - in-depth information, data, and designs approved by the OSCMS medical review team, as well as links to additional resources.
- Sewn mask designs for healthcare workers - remember to always use the mask design that your hospital or recipient has requested. In accordance with the Emergency Use Authorization issued by the FDA, ALL masks donated to healthcare facilities must include documentation. A guide to this documentation is available from Maker Mask; for complete information, please view the EUA itself. Masks donated for use other than in healthcare facilities are not required to include this documentation; however, we recommend enclosing the same documentation with community donations as with healthcare facility donations.
- For use over existing PPE:
- “We Can Sew It” Mask
- Phoebe Health Mask - for “duckbill” design respirators
- http://project-cloth-masks.com (Double-lung “Cover” style)
- To be worn alone:
- Iris Luckhaus Hybrid Mask (preferred design due to nose folds improving fit without including metal which is difficult to launder)
- Note: if donating these masks, please include multiple images in your documentation to clearly document the correct way to manage this mask as it is a unique style.
- http://project-cloth-masks.com (Pleated “Surge” style)
- MakeMasks.org
- Note: these masks are also appropriate for members of the general public to wear, in accordance with CDC’s guidance on 4/6/2020 instructing all Americans to wear face masks when in public.
- Last-resort emergency masks for personal use only:
- These designs allow you to improvise a mask without sewing.
- Use these only if you do not have access to other fabric masks.
- Do not donate these masks to healthcare facilities.
- No-Sew Pleated Face Mask
- 5-Minute No-Sew DIY Mask for Coronavirus
- Note: use 100% cotton only - synthetic blends will be too difficult to breathe through when layered
- Resources for identifying local needs:
- MakeMasks.org - individual matching to a site in need, also includes design info
- GetUsPPE.org - map listing registered needs, also includes design info
STEP ONE: Make Local Connections
There are lots of groups who have already started working on masks. You want to get connected to people who are already involved, rather than starting from scratch.
Teamwork is critical right now. The goal is to create groups of people who are working to help your local hospital. The group should have only one or two people who are in charge of talking to the hospital directly. We do not want to overwhelm the hospitals with dozens or hundreds of phone calls. This slows them down and keeps people from getting help in emergencies. Your enthusiasm is appreciated, but too many people trying to call the hospitals may do more harm than good.
How to connect directly with people in need - if there are no groups in your area:
- Use public listings to help you identify local needs.
- International:
- Covid19 Masks: international PPE maker-to-hospital database
- US-Specific:
- MakeMasks.org provides a matching service to connect you directly with requests for donations. They also provide patterns and all of the information that you need to get started.
- GetUsPPE.org allows you to see a map of requests and to register as a maker.
- Mask Match also matches individuals to hospitals.
How to connect with groups and other sewists in your area:
- Search in the OSCMS group for posts from your local area. (Consider searching for your city name, then county/local region name, then state/principality, and then country if you have not yet found anything.)
- Search Facebook for other groups that may be organizing locally.
- Search for online local community groups (such as online “yard sale,” “community,” or “neighborhood” groups)
- Search Twitter, Instagram, or other social media.
- Use Google or another search engine.
- Reach out to local librarians to see if they are aware of other efforts.
- Reach out to local churches, rec centers, craft stores, and community organizations.
- Use local email lists (“listservs”) or newsletters.
- If you live in an apartment or community with common areas (like a retirement community) see if you can post a note on a public bulletin board.
If you are able to find a group, ask for a short introduction to the group’s structure. Find out who is in charge and make sure that there are just one or two contact people calling hospitals on behalf of the group. Ask how to get information about what the hospitals want you to make and how you should deliver it.
If you are waiting to find a local group, the best use of your time is to read background information. Learn about the different kinds of masks. Make sure that you are looking at designs and materials that are recommended by doctors. You can also get started on finding the materials you will need.
STEP TWO: Make Quality Masks
There are lots of patterns online. Many of these were created by people without medical or engineering training. Some ideas may even be dangerous. You should only make masks that have been vetted by medical professionals, such as those listed with the information here. These resources will be updated as physicians continue reviewing options.
Many people have asked how to select a mask design. Here is the most important consideration:
Use the design and materials that your local hospital has asked for.
Your local hospital may have published this information online already. If you are part of a group, your local organizer should have this information. If you are looking up a request from a specific database, such as MakeMasks2020 or GetUsPPE, check the details to see if a specific design has been requested; if not, default to using the mask designs that are published on the web site where you found the request.
Focus on making sure your masks are well-made. For example, if you are including metal for nose shaping, make sure that it is very well contained within a casing to avoid the metal scratching the wearer. Ensure that all ties are securely fastened and that all loose threads are snipped. Do not use any latex materials, including elastics. This is a specific request from medical providers.
Practice hygiene procedures when making masks:
- Do not make masks if you have any symptoms of illness - including cough, fever, sore throat, congestion, or recent loss of sense of smell (anosmia) - or if you have known contact with confirmed or presumptive positive cases of Covid-19.
- Work in a secluded area away from other family/household members, children, pets, etc.
- The first mask you make should be for yourself. Wear a mask while creating masks for others.
- Pre-wash fabrics (and bias tape, if using) in hot water and dry on hot before beginning.
- Use wipes or cleaning spray to sanitize all work surfaces before starting and frequently while working.
- Do not donate masks that you have tried on or worn. Do not hold masks up to your face to take pictures. If you put a mask to your face, keep that mask for yourself.
- Wash and dry finished masks before packing them to distribute.
You must include an information sheet with your masks. Write down the fabric composition that was used, including exact fiber contents. (If your “stash fabric” does not have selvedges marked with the fiber content, do not use it. Facilities must know the fiber content in order to know thewhether it can be autoclaved or must be considered single-use.) Every batch of masks that you make should have at least one copy of this information sheet.
In accordance with the Emergency Use Authorization issued by the FDA, ALL masks donated to healthcare facilities must include documentation. A guide to this documentation is available from Maker Mask; for complete information, please view the EUA itself. Masks donated for use other than in healthcare facilities are not required to include this documentation; however, we recommend enclosing the same documentation with community donations as with healthcare facility donations.
For more information about why you need to include an information sheet, read the linked post about earning trust.
Follow your group leader’s directions for how to deliver the masks. If you are working directly with a hospital, follow their directions for dropoff, mailing, or delivery. Do not just show up unannounced at a hospital with masks.
STEP THREE: Recruit People to Join Your Local Organization
There are thousands of people right now who are just like you, looking for information about how to make masks. If each of those people called their local hospital directly, it would overwhelm the hospitals completely. We cannot let that happen! We need you to help others help our hospitals.
If you see others in your area sharing social media posts or asking about how to make masks, invite them to join your community organization.
Look for Facebook groups, Instagram posts, tweets, and other information from people in your area with questions about masks.
If you have a friend or loved one who sews, invite them to join you. (Even if they are not local, they may still be able to ship masks to you.)
Sharing quality sources of information is key in this time. Connecting people to the OSCMS FAQ document (Click this link) as well as to the recommendations in this document, is a great starting point.
Encourage people in your network to pursue reputable sources of information about COVID19. With regards to PPE in the United States, sources to monitor include the FDA, CDC, and WHO. Be skeptical about news sources. There is a lot of fake news.
FAQ
What is the purpose of this document?
This document is intended to help home sewists who are interested in sewing masks to donate to others. It is not medical advice. It was created in response to thousands of questions about how to sew masks and how to coordinate delivery to facilities in need.
Why can’t I make a post in the OSCMS Facebook group to find other people who sew/a hospital that needs masks/people to sew masks for us?
The OSCMS Facebook group has become completely overwhelmed with requests from home sewists. We love the enthusiasm. We also worry that if this level of interest is overwhelming an ordinary Facebook group, it could also be harmful to hospitals. We want to create clear instructions to help people know how to help without doing more harm. There are no “stupid questions,” but when the same question is asked a thousand times it wastes time and prevents people from attending to other tasks and conversations.
Who created this document?
This document was written and edited by members of the group Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies. For more information, please look at the OSCMS FAQ document. (Click this link.)
OK, but can you just tell me what pattern I should make/what materials I should use? This is too much to read.
This issue is complex. There are different recommendations because the masks and mask covers are being used for different purposes. This is why it is so important to honor the request of your local hospital or the organization that you are working with.
For personal use, you can choose from any of the patterns reviewed in this OSCMS guide.
I am looking for a mask to make for myself as an emergency measure, but I am not able to sew. Are there any options that don’t require sewing?
Yes. We do not recommend making these to provide to healthcare facilities, but for your own personal use, something is better than nothing. You can make a quick, no-sew mask using a handkerchief and 2 hair ties or fabric loops, by cutting a t-shirt and inserting a paper towel filter (use a 100% cotton shirt), or by cutting off the sleeve of a t-shirt and wearing it around your head (use a cotton blend shirt).