Comparative Study of Polypropylene Non-Woven Surgical Mask and Locally Manufactured Woven and Knitted Fabrics Facial Masks

The outbreak of coronavirus has led to an increase in the demand for facemasks globally. Unavailability of appropriate polypropylene non-woven fabrics face masks as a result of inadequate supply to satisfy the growing population has brought about the manufacturing of locally fabrics masks to augment or substitute standard medical class facemasks. The study aims at analyzing airflow of these locally manufactured fabrics to determine possible means of transmitting the virus as well as establish comfort of the user of these masks. Standard polypropylene non-woven, woven and knitted fabrics were considered for the study. Air permeability test was conducted on these fabrics using Frazier Air permeability tester. Depending on the property significant variation in the textile fabrics, polypropylene non-woven is widely accepted for facial masks. Nevertheless, this study illustrates that woven and knitted fabrics have more open structures, which allow a high rate of air penetration and so may require two or three layers to prevent antimicrobial or antiviral potential.

Use of the Appropriate Fabric for Cloth Face Mask: A Necessity in the Fight against COVID-19

The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created a global health crisis that has had a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives. The call for the wearing of face masks as one of the ways of curbing the disease has resulted in the proliferation of cloth face masks on our markets. In the desperation to cash in on the season and make money at all costs, some manufacturers use inferior fabrics to produce face masks. Some of these fabrics do not meet the basic performance requirements of cloth face masks. This study was therefore carried out to research into the appropriate fabrics that will be suitable for the production of cloth face masks in terms of comfort, breathability and protection. To do this, 1225 participants were conveniently drawn for the study. The main research instrument employed for the study was the survey approach in which well-structured questionnaires were administered to solicit information from the participants. To determine the reliability and validity of data, the Cronbach’s Alpha test was conducted. Data were analyzed using the Stata statistical software to perform a multinomial logistic regression to estimate Odds Ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. A multinomial logit model was constructed to determine the nominal variables. A major finding of the study was that people’s choice of fabric for cloth face masks is determined to a larger extent by their professions. The study also revealed that cotton, silk and linen possess good properties for the production of cloth face masks. Based on the findings, the study concludes that cloth face masks made from two-layered fabrics or three-layered fabrics are the best in terms of comfort and full protection of the wearer. It is recommended that the outer layer should be made from cotton and the inner layer made from linen, cotton-polyester blend or silk.