All over the world, apparel companies and chain of home sewers are busy making face masks for protection against the pandemic (COVID19) and put them in supply as early as possible. They include both woven and non-woven fabric masks that could serve at a time of global need.

 

There is some kind of restriction in the fabric type and quality of masks though: Many of the face masks are being prepared from regular textile cloth like cotton; which offer very little protection against the highly infectious COVID19. It is not fully wrong to use these cloth masks in this trying time. Rather they indicate how helpless the global health system is in providing everyone with woven or non woven fabric mask for keeping safe against Covid-19. Both the lack of availability and ability to produce more NWF masks is driving the world to use the cloth masks in an emergency.

 

Non-Woven Fabric Mask - Daily Use and Application

 

Before the COVID19 outbreak, non-woven fabric masks used to be part of our day-to-day life. The best example is disposable non-woven medical masks. The most common non-woven fabrics in use for making non woven fabric masks are PolyPropylene spun-bond NWF, PolyPropylene meltblown NWF, ES, or Nico NWF, FFP2 melt-blown NWF and BFE99 standard melt-blown NWF.

 

Nonwoven fabrics are generally described as sheet or fabric tied together by intertwined filaments or fiber (and by porous films) chemically, thermally or mechanically. They are plain or tufted perforated sheets directly made from individual fibers, melted plastic/film.

 

Everyone from workers in manufacturing units to construction sites can be seen wearing non woven fabric masks even before the COVID19 outbreak. Their look may differ a lot from each other: a flat face mask, a 3-dimensional face mask, a folding face mask (non-woven medical mask and disposable non woven fabric mask) and cup type face mask, etc.

 

The flat non-woven fabric mask is the most common type used in everyday work. The making of a non-woven fabric mask consists of 3 different layers or parts. The outermost layers are Polypropylene spun bond NWF, Polypropylene melt-blown nonNWF, and active carbon NWF to act as a filter in the middle. The internal layer is of ES NWF, PolyPropylene spun-bond NWF, etc.

 

Face masks with active carbon NWF as filters have greater absorbing power. It can soak up various toxic wastes from industries efficiently such as gas substances like ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide, and more.

 

Non-Woven Fabric Mask - The Right Varieties & Choice

 

N95 respirators and surgical masks are indeed the top-quality protective masks available on the market till now. But certain kinds of DIY or homemade masks can also be a crucial part of the world’s fight against COVID19. The best material on offer for professionals such as DIY face mask makers is non-woven fabrics.

 

Non-woven fabric masks can be effective just like surgical or medical masks, as they are not made of any traditional cloth materials that require knitting or weaving. They are lighter, absorbent, liquid-proof, resilient, stretchable, stretchable, washable, great filtrate, and provide a barrier and sterility against dangerous viruses like COVID19. There are a few other benefits of choosing non-woven fabric masks given their flexibility and low-cost production.

 

It is not that all non-woven fabrics are suitable for making protective masks. Though wet wipes are non woven fabric, they are very perforate. Similarly, Vacuum bags can’t be considered for masks even being non woven fabric in nature as they are difficult to breathe in.

 

However, car shop towels are recommendable for making non woven fabric masks. They are blue and come in rolls, assuring a better capability for filtering large droplets in comparison to the cloth. Not just it is too strong but also can be reused after washing with normal water and soap. DIY tutorials can be followed for making and using these non-woven fabric masks.

 

Car towels can also be used in combination with the cloth to make face masks, offering an extra layer of filtering droplets. Though clothing is a little better than nothing, still a non-woven fabric material like car towels can be complimentary and helpful in preventing droplets from getting in and getting out.

 

Reasons to Consider Non-woven Fabric Masks

 

Surgical or medical face masks can be a key protective accessory in clinics as well as hospitals for staff and patients. The best in quality face masks are highly necessary for healthcare personnel and for the facility managers who order and stock these vital safety items. The minute size of the COVID19 or other virus means the fabric of these face masks should be able to stop the flow or transmission of the virus from the patient to the surgeon and nurse. Moreover, face masks should keep the wearer safe against larger droplets in a medical environment.

 

But what are the reasons to consider a non woven fabric mask over a reusable cloth mask or similar varieties?

 

When compared, non-woven fabric masks are found to be better than traditional cloth masks in the following aspects:

 

1. Mechanical fight
2. Suitable lining
3. Protection against bacterial infiltration
4. Protection against liquid infiltration
5. Versatility
6.  Wrapping ability
7. Comfort for the wearer

 

The non-woven fabric masks show a range of characteristic features that outperform most of the fabrics used in mask production. They are as follows:

 

1. They look like woven fabrics but feel soft and light just like paper.
2. They can be soft and strong at the same time with greater flexibility.
3. They can be thicker or thinner like tissue paper.
4. They can again be transparent or solid.
5. They have a variable porosity range.
6. They may be made-up by heat bonding, gluing or stitching.
7. The wearing ability of non-woven fabric masks is good.
8. Some of them are washable while others need dry-clean

 

The use of non-woven fabric masks is huge in the present scenario of COVID19. They have been regular products in the construction and manufacturing industries. All the above sectors are only bringing a rise in the usage of non-woven fabric masks because of their low price and its utility for multiple purposes.