When I first began researching filters to use for home sewn face masks, I came across many confusing and frustrating posts. Many of the products recommended for filter use were either not very effective or were unable to be ordered due to high demand. As more and more friends were asking me for masks, I was trying to find something that would work well as an effective filter that I could recommend to everyone. Bonus if it was actually available and could be ordered online. Imagine my delight when Filti reached out to me to review their face mask material. I had recently discovered this company during my research for filters and was impressed with what I had read. Now, I have the opportunity to tell you what I have learned and how I will be using the Filti Material as a Face Mask filter.
**Filti sent me a sheet of their Face Mask Material for review. All opinions on the product are my own.**
What is Filti Face Mask Material?
From the Filti website: “Filti Face Mask Material is constructed using our patent-pending Nanofiber technology which is designed to safeguard you and your family from several airborne particles including bacteria and viruses.” This product seemed very interesting on my first read through of the site. I decided to keep researching to find out the following: 1. Has it been tested? 2. How effective is it? 3. Is it made with fiberglass? and finally if it passed my other questions 4. Is it actually available to the general public? Here is what I found out.
Filti Face Mask Material Testing:
The Filti company, originally a US based company that designed reusable HVAC filters, began noticing that people were resorting to household items for face mask material. They began developing the face mask material and the product has been tested by a couple of groups which you can read about here and here. The Filti company also did a single test and provides the fact sheet on their website: You can view their test results here. As you can see, from the tests that are available, the Filti product performed very well for filtration and breathability capabilities. And if you have worn a face mask, you know how important the breathability is while wearing one.
Is Filti Face Mask Material Effective? And if so, is it safe to wear?
If you clicked on the links to the articles in my previous paragraph you would see that on the different tests completed both by Filti and outside testing, the fabric performed quite well. One of the things I found concerning when reasearching different filter options was the recommendation for HEPA vacuum bags to be used and people not mentioning they are often made of fiberglass. I was relieved to have discovered that information before recommending them to my friends and family for purchase. I made sure to check for any fiberglass after looking over the product information and am happy to report that it does not seem to contain any. The product appears to be made from Polypropylene, a product used to create many surgical face masks among other things. I personally feel that the product is safe to wear as a filter for my mask. While I don’t have the capabilities to test the product on my own, I am happy to see the different testing results with a high filtration and breathability report for the Filti Face mask product. If I am going through the trouble of sewing and wearing a face mask, I want to make sure that I am using the best products I can find. Keeping in mind of course that what is available to the home sewists is not going to offer near the protection of an N95 mask. Please remember there are many pieces of the puzzle that help create a good layer of protection, not just materials used.
Is this product available? How do I purchase Filti?
After reviewing the product and being impressed with the testing results and overall breathability, I became concerned that like many other things during the pandemic, it would be difficult to purchase. I remember placing an order for “blue shop towels” before finding Filti and having it cancelled 3 times from different shops. So, I was thrilled to be able to find the Filti product was available for purchase and would be shipped directly to my house. The price point for the product is as follows at the time of this post: 21 sq ft = 50-80 masks ($29.99), 107 sq ft = 250-400 masks ($99.99) and 215 sq ft = 500-800 masks ($189.99) While I do feel the price is a tad on the higher side, I am comfortable with purchasing the product for my needs at this price point. However, I do not have to be wearing a mask daily so the product will last longer for my household. The shipping looks as though it has been updated and improved. Originally the shipping was as expensive or more than the material. I think the folks at Filti have possibly looked at providing more options as I checked before posting and saw it listed around $11 for shipping. I hope this makes the product more accesible for people. There are other options out there that may be less expensive, but at the time of posting most were unavailable at this time. **Filti has kindly offered a discount to my readers, use code SHANNON10 to recieve 10% off your order. **
How do I use the Filti Face Mask Product?
While you could use the face mask material to sew an actual face mask, I plan to use mine as a filter for the masks I am currently sewing. This filter would be disposable and simply slide in and out of the face masks I am sewing. The Filti site talks about which side faces in and out on the material and can be easily reviewed when deciding how you would like to use your Filti product. I personally have found the Eldenberry Blossoms Face Mask the best fit and most comfortable to wear. It comes in a variety of sizes, does not require the use of elastic, and is a free pattern on their facebook page.
In order to get the most use out of the Filti Fabric, I really like the Filter Template Caroline at SewCanShe put together. You can download and use this template for free. She does a great job making the best use of this fabric to help reduce waste and cut many filters from the sheet. The template can be used for many different mask types and I show you below how it fits in the Eldenberry Blossoms pattern. I did make one small change to the template on some of my filters. In addition to the template provided, which works great in my size mask, I also cut some about 1/2 inch bigger on all sides to accomodate for a larger face. It fits better to cover the nose and mouth area on my husband’s XL Eldenberry masks.
Overall, I am pleased with the quality of the Filti product. I am happy to have a product that has been rated well in terms of testing for bacteria and virus protection. As a mom of 4, I plan to use a mask when my kids are sick in the future (any sickness…not just during this pandemic). If you have cared for a sick little one, you know it requires lots of snuggles and close contact and when momma goes down, the whole house falls apart 🙂 LOL Or at least, in my house anyway. I would like to think that I can still be right near my littles ones to comfort them but give myself a better chance of not picking up the same bug if I wear a mask during their illness. So, I am planning to keep my masks around even after the pandemic fades away.
While the Filti Face Mask Material provides a great option in terms of breathability, protection and availbility the only downside is the cost. Since I have not gone out much and have not needed to wear my mask much, using disposable filters is fine for me as I won’t go through so many. However, if I were having to wear a mask daily, the cost of these filters would be something I would need to consider more carefully. I would and have recommended these to my friends and family to purchase. I have also purchased some myself in addition the sheet Filti provided me to review. I am personally very happy with the product and the benefit of added protection I feel the filter provides my homemade cloth mask. I hope this review has been helpful as you make your own decisions about what products you may want to purchase for your own face mask and filter needs. **Code SHANNON10 will allow you to recieve 10% off your purchase**
Until next time,
Happy Sewing
About 18 years ago I decided to teach myself how to sew. Long before blogs and resources available today which meant it was often disastrous. But I never gave up because I loved it so much. Today I love helping others get started on their own sewing journey. You can read more about my family and I