How to make face coverings

Face coverings have become a normal part of our everyday life, especially after the government made it mandatory to wear them in many public spaces such as public transport. Even though there are a variety of options on the market, we at Bags of Ethics™ would like to give you useful tips and tricks to encourage you to get your creative juices flowing and easily make your own face covering in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a t-shirt, scarf or any other fabric you like, a pair of scissors and an optional sewing machine.

Here’s how to do it:

WITHOUT A SEWING MACHINE

Even if you don’t have a sewing machine at hand or are simply not comfortable sewing, you can still easily make your own face covering. Simply grab an old t-shirt and a pair of scissors and follow our few simple steps:

1. With a pair of sharp (fabric) scissors, cut a stripe with seven to eight inches in width from the bottom of your shirt.
2. Fold the fabric and cut out a six-to-seven-inch long and five-to-six-inch high rectangular piece. Make sure to leave at least a quarter of an inch towards the edge of the fabric.
3. Cut through the edges to make straps.
4. Tie the straps behind your head and neck to ensure a snug fit.

WITH A SEWING MACHINE

If you are lucky enough to have a sewing machine at home and feel comfortable stitching, we encourage you to sew the below mask, which is a little more advanced. For this, you will need two pieces of tightly woven cotton fabric (a t-shirt works fine) with measurements of ten inch by six inch, two six-inch long elastic bands (you can use a hair tie, if you don’t have a rubber band at hand), (fabric) scissors, pins, and a sewing machine (or needle and thread, if you prefer the old-fashioned way). Once you’re all set, follow the steps below:

1. Align the two fabric pieces and pin them in place.
2. Fold down the long edges ¼ of an inch, pin in place and place and stitch down.
3. Fold over the short edges ½ of an inch and stitch down.
4. By using a bamboo stick or a bobby pin, thread the elastic band through the created loops on the sides and tie at the end according the size of your face. Make sure, your face coverings fits snugly, but still allows you to breathe comfortably.
5. Pull through and hide the knots behind the hems.

And you are done!

However, please note that you should still try to avoid touching your face and follow social distancing guidelines. If you rather spent the time browsing for the perfect ready-made face covering, though, look no further: At Bags of Ethics™ we have developed a range of reusable face coverings that are beneficial to both people and planet. They are washable, reusable, and contain no single-use plastic. We have developed them in conjunction with British and European scientists, who have advised us and stipulated the specific requirements needed to help effectively stop the spread of COVID-19. To see the range, visit https://bagsofethics.org/shop/.