About Fabric Mask

A: There are three layers in a general surgical mask-
The outer layer is fluid repellent. It can block droplets that contain bacteria and viruses on the surface of the mask.
The Middle layer is a filter. The most ideal material is spun-bond melt-blown non-woven fabric with electret treatment. The electret interaction forms a barrier against the germs, and the melt-blown non-woven fabric can filter out the particles.
The inner layer is for absorbing moisture. It is commonly made of spun-bond non-woven fabric with moisture absorption to absorb the air exhaled from the person and keeps the contact surface clean and dry.

A: A surgical mask cannot be entirely replaced by a fabric mask; however, you can cover a fabric mask outside the surgical mask to extend the surgical mask’s use. Although the cotton cloth is not fluid repellent nor able to block the droplets, it can preserve the droplets on the outer layer as it absorbs some of the fluid.

As a result, the key points of the outer layer of a fabric mask are breathable and can be washed and used repeatedly. It is important to wash and dry the fabric mask once the surface is damp to maintain its great fluid-absorption and protection.

A: One of the advantages of using a fabric mask is that you can choose your own filter for the middle layer. The mask can be reused and washed multiple times. It is a very eco-friendly product. However, people may not know how to choose a suitable filter from the various kinds of non-woven fabric. I would suggest that you insert a surgical mask directly into your fabric mask. This is the easiest, most secure, and most convenient method.

If it is really hard to find a surgical mask, you can dry a wet wipe and use it as an alternative since it is a non-woven fabric as well. However, this would still be less effective than a surgical mask. If you try this, please avoid visiting densely populated places under the circumstance.