Masks Are Here to Stay, So Here’s Why You Should Customize Your Own
Although some U.S. cities have started to flatten the coronavirus curve, the nation has yet to come out on the other side. The U.S. is still reporting more new coronavirus cases than any other country and suffers more daily deaths than all but a handful.
Even though retailers are starting to open up, health care experts still advise caution. In particular, they advise using masks in addition to social distancing at least 6 feet apart and always continue proper hygiene of washing hands before touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Some have pushed back against masks, but the overwhelming thought is that face coverings should remain the norm this summer, and possibly through fall.
Masks are more widely available now than they were at the start of the pandemic. That’s partly because many people have made their own masks over the last few months, and many more companies have shifted to sell masks.
Both developments have led to tons of mask customization. While a standard, plain mask does the job fine, many people want something more expressive, especially if they’re going to be in public more often. It’s easy to find tons of custom masks, and even design and sell your own if you’re crafty and want to earn some money too.
Finding Custom Masks
By now, there’s no shortage of sites where you can purchase a custom mask. Some, like Contrado, let you craft custom designs or upload images for your masks. Others, like Mandala, create masks out of their fluid-resistant and antimicrobial medical scrub fabric and includes BFE PM2.5 filters at an affordable price. And here’s a blatant mask that clearly says 6 Feet (they have other fun designs too). Of course, there’s many reusable options on Amazon too.
All that’s to say that there are plenty of options to find high-quality, custom-made masks online.
However, if you’re a DIY enthusiast, you can try your hand at making your own mask.
Why You Should Make Your Own Mask
By crafting a mask yourself, you ensure the mask looks and fits exactly how you like it. There’s also a good chance you can craft a fantastic looking mask with things you have lying around at home, as opposed to spending money on one. Plus, if you get good, you can start making masks for friends and family, or even sell them!
There are literally thousands of mask-making guides online, so we won’t beat a dead horse by repeating the same steps again. Supplies differ based on what exactly you’re trying to design, but you’ll need cloth, elastic, and scissors to get started.
If you’re looking for discounted supplies, check out these Hobby Lobby coupons for some deals!
If you find out that you’re a natural-born mask maker, you can try selling your wares on Etsy. In fact, tons of people are selling there already. In April, “face mask” was the most searched term on the platform, according to Etsy.
Selling on Etsy
There are more than 800,000 face masks for sale on Etsy right now. Since so many people are designing and selling face masks on its marketplace, Etsy put out a list of guidelines for mask sellers. The general rules are as follows:
- Don’t make medical claims about the masks you sell, but point out other useful info, such as if your mask is washable or reversible
- You cannot resell masks you’ve bought elsewhere on Etsy. Whatever you sell must be made or designed by you
See Also: 5 Ways Artists Can Make Money Online
Otherwise, Etsy encourages people to sell masks on the market. As long as you follow their best practices, it’s a great avenue to start distributing masks. However, as mentioned above, the mask market on Etsy is heavily saturated. If you’re serious about selling homemade masks, try using word of mouth through your family and friend circle first and social media to build your brand!
