Face Masks and Sensitive Skin.

One of the biggest complaints we hear about and one of the biggest compliments we are paid are both in regards to people with sensitive skin. Many people have issues with wearing masks due to what it does to their skin and finding a manufacturer who makes masks that don’t irritate your face can be an unpleasant challenge. We very well may be that manufacturer since we have reaped a lot of praise for how our masks are great for people with sensitive skin. The soft fabric and hypoallergenic components combined with high quality materials make for a wonderful combination that suits most everyone.

The real question though is why do some face masks irritate people’s skin while others do not? The question has several answers and the one to start with first and foremost is at the source of where the material comes from. The quality of the raw material will always have a large impact on how it interacts with the skin and getting it from a trusted source is the biggest factor plain and simple. We made sure to test a multitude of spunbond manufacturers from the USA and judged them strictly on how soft their material is, how consistent it is manufactured, and the legitimacy of the testing it was put through. The company we chose is well established with a long history of making quality nonwoven products and that doesn’t cut corners in their manufacturing. We have gone through thousands of yards of their material and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that we are sourcing the best face mask material possible in the USA.

The next component of a hypoallergenic face mask that doesn’t irritate skin is the quality of the space that the masks are manufactured in. A lot of places overseas that manufacture face masks are frankly dirty, messy, and not up to the standards that most of us would deem acceptable. The reason being is that they are making the cheapest versions possible while not paying their employees good wages and that makes for masks that are as good as you would expect, which is not very. Furthermore, a lot of these spaces, and even ones here in the USA, manufacture other products alongside the masks and cross contamination of various other materials can happen easily. This is why we chose to build a custom ISO 7 cleanroom for the masks to be manufactured in. Our space is hand made to our specifications with over 40 filtration units that exceed the minimum specifications for ISO 7 and create a positive pressure space that keeps germs and contaminants out.

The next part of a great face mask for sensitive skin is the fabric itself and how well it was extruded. This is a major reason (besides supporting domestic manufacturers) that we love our USA made spunbond, it's soft, breathable, and easy on the skin. We are able to get fabric samples quickly and assess their quality and softness before purchasing our bulk order and our vendor is always ready to uphold their high standards. We have received a spunbond order in the past that was the correct GSM but was too rough and our vendor immediately refunded our money since they are not afraid to stand by their product. Every roll put on our machines is thoroughly checked to ensure that everything we make is good enough for even the most sensitive of skin. Occasionally mistakes happen and sometimes our mask may not agree with the user which is why we are always willing to refund your mask order if it does not work for you. We want you to be confident in the comfort and quality we produce, or your money back, guaranteed. 

Another factor in the quest for a face mask that is suitable for all types of skin is actually related to the mask making machines themselves. If you have never seen one before, they are made with many different components that influence the shape and softness of a mask. The most important of those components are the rollers that keep the masks flat as they are ultrasonically welded. Once the mask has been pleated and its nose bridge has been inserted it will go through a series of heavy duty rollers while it is welded together and cut. The rollers can be adjusted up and down to allow for various thicknesses of fabric or added filtration levels and the tuning of these rollers makes a huge difference in the mask produced. If the rollers are too loose they will make a mask that is very fluffy and full of air, which while it does not affect the softness of the mask, it can cause it to not hold its shape and be more difficult to package. If the rollers are too tight then you get a mask that has more of a papery feel and can cause people with sensitive skin to become irritated. Oftentimes manufacturers will tighten down the rollers to make the masks as flat as possible so that they go through the ear loop attachment phase easier and they can use a smaller box while fitting more masks. This can save money and improve efficiency but at the cost of making stiffer, more irritating and frankly cheaper feeling masks. We have experimented extensively with finding a fine balance between stiff and fluffy which comes down to tenths of a millimeter in roller adjustment, to produce the softest well formed masks possible.

Lastly, and while it may be minor, the way the masks are packaged definitely influence their cleanliness. We put all of our masks into sealed 5 packs so they stay as clean as possible, are easy to carry around, and while not wasting an excessive amount of plastic. Ultimately we take every step we can to make sure your masks work well, stay clean, and keep your face free of irritation. We want you to love our products as much as we love making them.