MakeIt Fitted Mask FM1.jpg

MakeIt Labs Fitted Mask

Why Did We Make This Mask?

There are a number of homemade mask designs available to manufacture for use when N95 masks are unavailable or in short supply, but the MakeIt FM1 Fitted Mask design offers several advantages:

  • Our design uses non-woven polypropylene sterilization wrap material, readily found in most hospital environments. This material is easily sterilized, and in our experience, provides significantly better filtration of 0.3 - 0.5µm particles than other alternative materials used in homemade masks.

  • Our design is assembled using an inexpensive heat “impulse sealer” (bag sealer) to form the seams in the mask, as an alternative to sewing.  These sealers are commonly used to seal thermoplastic bags for food storage, etc.  An impulse sealer presses together layers of thermoplastic materials and uses heating elements (often Nichrome wire ribbon) to produce a short-duration heat/cool cycle to thermally weld the layers together.  When done correctly this results in a solid seam which has no stitch holes. By contrast, sewn seams create holes through the fabric through which particles could pass.

  • This mask can be assembled quickly by an individual with no prior experience in sewing or mask manufacture.

  • A ductile metal “nose strip” is incorporated to help form a seal around the bridge of the nose.

  • The “large” size FM1 mask can alternatively be used as a cover to be worn over standard N95 masks.

  • The “medium” size pattern can be printed at 90% and 75% size to make Child sizes.

Documentation

Disclaimers

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent shortage of PPE, MakeIt Labs is providing this information under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ) to document a project we have undertaken within our makerspace.

Our documentation does not constitute advice nor does it provide advice on what you should do or not do. We are an all-volunteer non-profit organization sharing information in good faith and with no express or implied warranty and no guarantee of any kind, nor any suitability for any particular purpose.  MakeIt Labs, its Board, its members, and the authors and contributors to this document expressly disavow any and all liability arising from the use of this information. Use solely at your own risk. 

Creating or using a homemade mask may be ineffective at preventing transmission of disease or infection. The materials and designs described herein have not been evaluated or tested by an accredited laboratory for use in respiratory masks. Using untested materials, designs, or techniques in the fabrication or use of respiratory masks may be harmful to your health.