Calling On Home Sewers for a Project

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Hey folks, Mike here from Ask Andy (I'm Andy's business partner).

Great discussion and efforts here around making medical-grade masks to donate to the medical community.

Outside of AAAC, I also own an apparel brand and we're looking to recycle new, unused t-shirts & undershirts to produce non-surgical masks for either non-medical use or use over N95 masks.

Do any of the folks here on this thread have any insight to where 100% cotton (organic or supima) masks could be used or donated? Or any specific design requirements there may be?

@bry2000 - we may be able help you with your request, but I don't want to use this post as any commercial promotion (we don't allow that on AAAC either).

Fok or Moderators, please feel to contact me if you have any questions.

 

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Mike: Knits (like t-shirts) make very poor masks. When they are stretched the holes between the yarns get ever-larger.
Wovens are much better - and even better with a fused non-woven substrate.

 

[iam.mike]

@Alexander Kabbaz - Definitely agree that wovens are better, however, we don't have any stock of woven fabric.

Also, we're working to comply with minimum jersey fabric specs provided by the City of Los Angeles, which include:

• Woven 6-8 oz (in densities similar to dress shirt or bed sheet fabrics)
• Jersey Knit 6-8 oz
• All masks will use two layers of fabric per the pattern and instructions

We're prototyping several designs, including one where an additional filter of the wearer's choosing can be placed inside a pocket.

Again, these are non-commercial, non-medical-grade masks. They are intended for those looking for some protection, rather than none.

 

[Alexander Kabbaz]

@Alexander Kabbaz - Definitely agree that wovens are better, however, we don't have any stock of woven fabric.

Also, we're working to comply with minimum jersey fabric specs provided by the City of Los Angeles, which include:

• Woven 6-8 oz (in densities similar to dress shirt or bed sheet fabrics)
• Jersey Knit 6-8 oz
• All masks will use two layers of fabric per the pattern and instructions

We're prototyping several designs, including one where an additional filter of the wearer's choosing can be placed inside a pocket.

Again, these are non-commercial, non-medical-grade masks. They are intended for those looking for some protection, rather than none.

Mike: If you need wovens I'll be happy to send you some 60" high count Italian broadcloth if you pay the shipping. Just email me.

 

[iam.mike]

Just email me.

Just PM'd you with my personal email address. Thanks Alex!

 

[David Reeves]

this is exactly the reason I stopped talking and continue to work behind the scenes. All I see is hype, talk and no real action.
Ill continue to do what I am doing, if people want my help they know where to find me. I have reached out and know others who have reached out and heard nothing back...…...…….and I know a slew of people who are willing to work and have reached out and heard nothing. lets see what this new week brings.........

Hi Zamb,

My apologies for not getting back to you on those rotary cutters, I wasn't looking at style forum since I last posted. I would agree with you though, but I can assure you I have not been just talking and have been working very hard although not making a song and dance of it.

I have supplied multiple samples of masks and actually suits to power plants within the US and have actually kitted one of them out with reusable suits and masks. Just making these masks in New York now is extremely challenging, many tailors do not want to leave their house or apt, its not easy to move things around the city and supplies are not easily available either at speed locally.

I would have liked to do more but I do feel I have done my best with the time and resources I have. Frankly theres just been too much noise and no good leadership on this, we really needed one sample pattern and specification by the state or a federal agency and a means to get materials/distribution to home workers, Im sure it could have been done with modern logistics and communications.

Im looking at the big boys like GM taking up the slack for this in the near future (for critical workers) and Im looking at selling direct to public consumers now.

 

[Zamb]

Hi Zamb,

My apologies for not getting back to you on those rotary cutters, I wasn't looking at style forum since I last posted. I would agree with you though, but I can assure you I have not been just talking and have been working very hard although not making a song and dance of it.

I have supplied multiple samples of masks and actually suits to power plants within the US and have actually kitted one of them out with reusable suits and masks. Just making these masks in New York now is extremely challenging, many tailors do not want to leave their house or apt, its not easy to move things around the city and supplies are not easily available either at speed locally.

I would have liked to do more but I do feel I have done my best with the time and resources I have. Frankly theres just been too much noise and no good leadership on this, we really needed one sample pattern and specification by the state or a federal agency and a means to get materials/distribution to home workers, Im sure it could have been done with modern logistics and communications.

Im looking at the big boys like GM taking up the slack for this in the near future (for critical workers) and Im looking at selling direct to public consumers now.

Incredibly busy and stressed, but if anyone needs my help im willing to. The demand is so great that I cannot do it alone.
Got a lot of flack from a ton of naysayers in the beginning but I forgive them all, now everyone is realizing I was right all along. thankfully we were already prepared for what is now upon us......

We are producing currently about 1K masks per week. I'd like to get that into the 2 to 2.5K zone. not only are we making masks but several other products.
Face shields
Comfort Headbands etc
We have now a company 5MMask.com selling to the public, but also doing a TON of donations to Hospitals/ Nursing homes, Shelters etc as far as North Carolina. Im planning on hiring two more people, looking for sewing people who live close to the factory, as the production process is pretty striaghtforward

We are donating to Policemen. UPS workers, USPS workers.
We are running late but finishing a very BIG donation to Downstate Medical Center.
We got a call from Rikers Island yesterday for 1K Masks

We have designed both masks covers and self filtering masks.
If anyone needs supplies like elastic or Fabric I can get for you, Machine parts (like a binding attachment) which has allowed me to speed up production tremendously. I can also get that.


I have two fabric guys who open specifically for me.
I have a sewing supply and machine parts distributor who opens for me
At the Moment, if you cannot secure Polypropylene garment bags, backing your masks with Non Woven Heavy Duty Pelon works as most Pelon is also made from polypropylene.
if you are using a densely woven Poly/ Cotton or Nylon/ Cotton

EDIT: I was incredibly happy to hear that my old Employer CRYE PRECISION has partnered with Lafayette 148 to make surgical gowns

if you need my help DO NOT SEND ME A MESSAGE. PLEASE CALL THIS NUMBER: All Good/Redacted
It makes my life a whole lot easier

I may be able to get fabric/ Pelon/ elastic/ machine attachments etc for those who need them

Also I am willing to share the Pattern i made, especially for our VP2 masks, which is the easiest of our two styles to produce. It only has two pattern pieces, I could do a stack cut of about 5 to 10 Patterns and just throw them in the mail...............not charging for this, but just remember to give credit to good ole Z when the time is right.
i already got word of a "big designer" who bought stuff of ours and is already knocking em off.............just now is not the time to be bothered by such things as people need these things.
Let me know what you guys need

 

[iam.mike]

@Zamb - great stuff you're doing over there! Also, thanks for all the information.

Regarding the Pellon, is a 50 Pellon Heavyweight Stabilizer (like what you can purchase from a fabric store) the type of Pellon you're referring to? I may give you a call too.

In addition to the fabric masks we're making (thanks to @Alexander Kabbaz for the woven fabric -- about to be enroute to Los Angeles), I have access to medical grade 3-ply protective face masks from a very reliable source, that I trust.

Time to source is about 10 days to Los Angeles via UPS. They come in 50 masks/carton, and I have to source a minimum of 100 cartons.

I may be sourcing 100 cartons so we can have some on hand to offer to those who need them. Please contact me if you have any questions about them.

 

[notdos]

Dunno if this is the right place to ask, but I have some left over gore-Tex fabric from a previous business venture. It was used to make zippered cases. Would this fabric be useful for making masks? Happy to post pics.

Phillip

 

[cb200]

Hi Phillip, 3 layer membrane fabrics do not have sufficient CFM (ability to pass air through) to function as a mask from what I've researched. Take a piece and blow on it and feel the resistance and you'll see that the filtering aspect of the fabric won't work at the level needed to respirate. If you have sufficient yardage you could make medical gowns. Performance would be above level 2&3 for liquid penetration.

 

[iam.mike]

For those of you interested, Michael Brier from Kleinerts is now producing thousands of fabric face masks each week, and as I understand it, they are available for purchase in large bulk.

A unique characteristic of his fabric masks are that the fabric is treated with their patented Fabrapel (repels liquid, while not affecting the breathability of the fabric -- also has antimicrobials from what I understand).

Not sure whether or not a "coated" or treated fabric like that creates any issues related to people breathing through them (i.e. inhaling particulates from the fabric), but I suspect if there was any potential issue there, Michael would not be producing masks with the fabric.

I've known him for a long while, and he's quite a nice fella. If you want Michael's direct contact info, please feel free to PM me, and I'll be happy to connect you up directly with him.

Stay safe.

Update: For those interested in purchasing them individually, you can get them at fair retail price on their website (kleinerts.com/products/face-mask)