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Laboratory tests have revealed alarming differences in the effectiveness of widely available face masks. Which? has claimed.
While some face masks were able to block more than 99% of potentially harmful bacteria from penetrating the mask material, the worst allowed 93% of these particles to escape.
Which? is now urging manufacturers and retailers to improve their game after three of the 15 face coverings it tested were marked “do not buy.”
Which? advised people not to buy the Etiquette face cover sold by Superdrug
Which? advised people not to buy the Etiquette face cover sold by Superdrug
At the bottom of the table was a Termini8 face cover sold by Lloyds Pharmacy for £ 2, one from Asda that sold for £ 3 and a Etiquette-branded mask that was available from Superdrug for £ 3.
Although all were lightweight and breathable, the fact that they are made with a single layer affected their ability to filter out potentially harmful particles.
Two products were awarded “best buy” status. The first was the NEQI reusable face mask available from Boots and Ocado, with packs of three sold for £ 15.
Face liners made by the great British designer Bags of Ethics, which also cost £ 15 for three and sold by Asos and John Lewis, also passed the Which? tests with great success.
They both got a full five stars for being breathable and got four out of five stars when it came to filtration.
The NEQI reusable face mask, sold at Boots and Ocado, is a Which? ‘best Buy’
The face covers of the great British designer Bags of Ethics at Asos and John Lewis are highly recommended by Which?
Research revealed that multi-layer masks are more effective than single-layer masks, but which one? said there is a clear trade-off between breathability and filtration efficiency.
Fabric masks that scored five out of five for filtration also scored the lowest for breathability.
If a face cover is not breathable, it can become damp more quickly with condensation from trapped breath and could encourage people to adjust or remove the mask, especially if they wear glasses.
The only two face covers that kept the goggles from fogging up were a £ 12 Asos mask and the £ 10 AB mask, both of which got the highest rating for eyeglass wearers’ comfort.
According to Which ?, face coverings also improve particle filtration after washing.
While reusable fabric face coverings are not designed to block ultrafine particles such as COVID-19 like a medical mask would, they are designed to help block the larger drops and sprays exhaled by the wearer, who may be infected but asymptomatic.
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Natalie Hitchins, which one? Head of home products and services, he said there is a “big difference” in quality between reusable masks sold in stores across the country and online.
“We urge manufacturers to use our findings to improve their game and improve their products – until then, it is worth taking the time to research the best option for you and your loved ones,” he said.
Asda said its face covers “comply with the guidelines of the British Retail Consortium and the Office of Product Safety and Standards.”
The company added: “The cover featured in this review was produced before the CWA17533 guidelines were published and is no longer for sale.”
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Superdrug questioned the test methods used and said that the Etiquette mask has been tested according to EN 14683 for surgical masks and the CEN Workshop Agreement, “which is not an official standard.”
The retailer said: “This product was clearly sold as a cloth face cover and not as a surgical mask, designed to help the user reduce the spread of a cold or virus, per government guidelines.”
Lloyds Pharmacy highlighted the quality of its products and said that the Termin8 mask “meets all the necessary requirements as established by the Department of Health and Welfare and the British Retail Consortium, for use as a face covering in numerous public settings such as Requires UK Law “.
