Looking for a reusable face mask to wear in public? With shops beginning to open, and face masks required on public transport here in the UK, I’ve recently invested in these two cloth face masks for my boyfriend and I.
However, it took a little while looking through sustainable fashion brands to find these! So, I thought it would be worth putting together a guide to sustainable brands creating masks to help people get around during the Covid-19 pandemic, and also highlight the efforts they’re making to support charitable causes too.
Where to Buy Sustainable & Reusable Face Masks
Armed Angels (10€)
The black mask I’m wearing in the above photo is from Armed Angels, called their One Million Euro Mask. That’s because they’re aiming to raise a million euros for Doctors Without Borders, with 2€ of every 10€ mask going directly to the charity!
Made from organic cotton, a wire to shape to your nose, and elastic over-the-ear fastenings, this mask that they kindly gifted to me is easy to wear and comes with the sweet slogan ‘I warmly smile under this mask’.
Cedar & Vine ($15 CAD)
If you’re looking for a more robust face mask, go for one made of linen. Ethical Canadian fashion brand Cedar & Vine’s Linen Face Mask* comes with two types of ear-loop styles and instructions on how to add paper filters to the mask, for extra protection.
Alongside their high quality masks and beautiful linen designs, I like Cedar & Vine because they’re transparent about who makes their clothes.
FFSB (£10)
FFSB popped me a message a little while ago about their new shop and deadstock fabric face masks, and I had to include them here. FFSB stands for Frank, Finn, Sebastian and Béla, the four London-based teenagers who decided to use their time in lockdown to create ethically-made masks alongside a family-run factory in Portugal.
Alongside being young entrepreneurs, they’re giving back by donating 10% of their profits to Young Minds mental health charity.
Isabel Manns on Löfte (£12)
If you’d like to support sustainable fashion, as well as the NHS, these beautiful floral masks by Isabel Manns* are for you. Made in London, UK, by sustainably conscious seamstresses who ensure fabric is cut economically to minimise waste, they look as good as much as they do good. 100% of profits from the sales of these masks go to NHS.
Maask on Wearth London (£25 for two)
If you’re looking for masks made from recycled fibres*, Maask is the brand to go to. This Brighton-based brand makes these masks in Europe using 100% recycled ocean plastic, and donates two medical-grade PPE face masks to front line workers in the UK for every order placed.
Maask is available through Wearth London*, the ethical online boutique store.
PHYNE on Good Apparel (£9)
If you’re looking for colour options for face masks, look no further than PHYNE’s organic cotton face masks. These come in block-colours and patterns, as well as sets of two, and five.
PHYNE make the cleanest-looking face masks out of all the brands here (yes, a plain white one exists if you want a reusable mask that looks similar to the disposable ones!) and all proceeds from these masks will be donated to NHS Charities, supporting NHS staff and volunteers looking after COVID-19 patients.
Pucker Face Masks (£21)
If you’re looking for face masks handmade in the UK, and want to support local out-of-work makers, Pucker Masks* is the place to shop. All face masks are made by highly skilled garment workers, who are paid the London Living Wage for their work. Plus, 25% of their profits are donated to charity. Masks range from classic black through to picnic brights.
Sabinna (£28 for two)
One of my favourite London-based sustainable fashion brands is Sabinna, and I was delighted to be gifted one of their pattered, reusable face masks to wear (pictured above).
With a wire to hold the nose, elastic ear holders, and an adjustable design to cover faces large and small, this mask is my favourite to wear. The pattern also helps me to keep track of which side is dirty once I’ve taken it off!
Sabinna’s masks* are also available through Wearth London*, the ethical online boutique store.
Springkode (£14)
If you’re looking to support a new way of creating fashion, and also purchase a few masks, why not shop for masks at Springkode? This digital marketplace works directly with ethical manufacturers to upcycle fabrics left over from other fashion lines. Right now, their mask collections are being made by Pedrosa & Rodrigues, which are certified for 15 washes by a laboratory in Portugal called Citeve, and Vestire, whose masks are certified for 10 washes by DGA in France.
I loved discovering Springkode late last year, and can testify to the high quality of their designs. And as this marketplace connects directly to factories, they can take orders between one and 1,000!
Subrina Heyink ($25 USD)
If you’re looking for pretty patterned face masks and you’re based in the US, look no further than Subrina Heyink. Their masks are made locally in Kansas, with 100% Liberty of London cotton fabric and 100% washed cotton muslin lining.
Each style also comes with a pocket for additional filters, and is provided with 3 fabric filters, one pre-filled. These can be washed up to 10 times before fabric deteriorates.
How to Wash Your Mask (& Keep It Hygienic)
Alongside sharing places to get masks, I thought it would be worth highlighting how to best look after your masks – remember, loved clothes last!
Here’s three simple steps to keeping reusable masks hygienic and clean:
- Wash your mask after every single use.
- Wash your mask at the warmest setting recommended for the material (usually 60°C) using powder detergent.
- Lay your mask on a flat service to dry, and only wear once completely dry.
And just as the CDC says, you can put your mask in a wash with clothes, or wash it alone (although if you’re washing it alone, I’d recommend putting it on a hot, quick wash to save energy and water).
If you cannot machine-wash your mask, wash in a bleach solution of 2 tbsp to 1L water (although check before doing so – some masks are not meant to be washed in bleach).
And when drying, you can dry it outside so the sun aids in the drying process – that’s safe to do too.