The ins and outs of handmade face masks

Yes, at this point it’s safe to say that for the foreseeable future we will be wearing masks wherever we go. The movement of ‘sustainable fashion’ has been circulating globally and gaining momentum in the last year.

Why “reusable”?

By wearing a reusable face mask, not only are you showing that you are mindful for the well-being of your community; you are helping to prevent excess materials entering landfills.

Many business-oriented people realised how promising this business could be and have turned this opportunity into a side hustle. It is true that from an aesthetic point of view, we can’t help but question if we are supposed to match our face masks with our outfits or not think about that at all. The most common material that is washable over numerous times is cotton, closely followed by satin or silk as they are highly recommended for people with sensitive or irritable skin.

Did someone say EcOfRieNDly

The use of harmful chemicals and a lack of recycling has combinedly had a damaging impact on the environment. Everyone has clothes they don’t use anymore and there is no excuse to not make an environmentally- conscious choice by using them. Plus, you can use them over and over again…

You saw it here first:

Ellie Grace is a second-year Music student at Royal Holloway. She has been designing handmade masks since the start of lockdown. “When it looked like masks were soon going to be part of our everyday wear I realised I needed something much more me!” she told The Tab Royal Holloway. She is selling handmade masks to friends and family for £6 each or 3 for £15.

Classy vibes

From sourcing materials in Hobbycrafts to “wading through my suitcase of unsold Depop clothes and taking scissors to cut all of it. I chopped up most of the clothes!” she noted. She soon realised that posting on Overheard was a good idea; she says “this was probably my best move yet! I sold 13 masks by the end of the first day that the post had been up.”

Ellie decided to simply show people the available fabric and let them choose for themselves. She also has “a big bundle of Christmas fabric” so contact her via Instagram to get a handmade mask just in time for the holidays. Also, don’t forget to check out her website.

Let’s show our support to more small businesses whilst hopping on the sustainable fashion bandwagon. It’s a win-win for both parties.