Where to buy cloth face masks sold out on Amazon: Etsy, REI - Business Insider - Business Insider

• The CDC recommends everyone wear a face mask, but mass-produced masks are sold out everywhere.
• Homemade cloth masks have been touted as a solution, but not everyone has the time or resources to make one.
• Here are five places you can buy a cloth mask for when you go outside during the pandemic.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends everyone wear a face mask to go out. However, medical-grade face masks are out of stock everywhere as the supply is redirected to hospitals.

In the absence of medical-grade face masks, officials are telling people to make cloth masks at home — a difficult task for those without sewing skills or equipment.

Cloth masks may not be especially effective at protecting the wearer, especially compared with medical-grade N95 respirators. But they're often key to protecting others. Cloth masks made from materials with a thick weave can help catch droplets from coughs and sneezes, preventing those droplets from infecting others. They can also remind the wearer not to touch their face.

When you shop for masks online, be wary of claims by sellers that their masks protect against airborne coronavirus particles. They most likely don't.

But it's still a good idea to wear a cloth mask. And if you can't make one, here are five places you can buy them.

Etsy and other craft sites

Of all the sites that feature independent makers and sellers, Etsy is probably the most well-known. There are countless stores on Etsy selling colorful cloth masks in adult and child sizes. There's endless variety, so you'll be spoiled for choice.

You can also get a sense of what each mask is like by reading through customer reviews. More popular masks, however, also sell out quickly.

In addition to Etsy, you can also find handmade cloth masks on other maker and craft sites, like ArtFire and eCrater.

Outdoor-apparel stores

You can also look to outdoor-apparel stores, which sell bandanas and masks for skiing and cold weather. Ski masks and balaclavas weren't designed to protect against the virus, but they're still a cloth face covering.

REI sells bandanas for $4 and ski masks starting at $11, and The North Face sells balaclavas and masks starting at $22. Dick's Sporting Goods sells a wide variety of masks, with balaclavas between $10 and $50, and Big 5 has a similar selection.

Small boutiques and designers

The need for masks is way greater than the need for new clothes right now, so many small and independent boutiques and fashion designers have started producing masks.

For example, the New York-based clothing brand Abacaxi is giving away masks with every purchase and selling them on their own for $28 apiece. The menswear company Buck Mason is selling packs of five, Alice and Olivia is donating one mask for every one sold, and the bag maker Caraa is selling packs of five made with recycled materials. The independent boutique KozySaila is selling cotton masks in packs of up to 20 for about $10 a mask. And the hat maker Love Your Melon just started selling face masks made from surgical wrap.

Custom Ink

Custom Ink is a T-shirt-printing company, but like many other apparel manufacturers during the pandemic, they've also started making masks.

Custom Ink's masks are pretty basic and they're one ply, but they sell for $30 for 12, or $240 for 120. They're less for someone who's looking for personalization but more for someone who's just looking to get the job done for an affordable price.

Arm the Animals

The "Tiger King" would approve of the masks at Arm the Animals, an apparel store that sells animal-themed masks. You can get some real eye-catchers there, such as this tiger snout mask or this Molotov kitty mask. Most masks run about $19. Note: Arm the Animals is not a nonprofit.

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2020-04-10 22:11:05Z
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