April 08, 2020

Organic Cotton Headband as a Cloth Facemask

We design our products with versatility top of mind. Our thinking: if one product can perform the functions of multiple products, fewer products need to be added to this world.

Our best-selling Twist Headband is a wonderful example of this design ethos in practice.

The GOTS certified organic cotton (92%) and spandex (8%) headband was designed to be worn several ways. While its primary function was always for the head, we were conscious of its capabilities as a face mask from the onset. It didn’t take long for customers to discover similarly:

The face bandana was meant as a bonus feature of the Twist Headband but suddenly, two days ago, that feature was thrust into the spotlight. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA recommended Americans wear a cloth face-covering in public and people quickly figured out a headband could double as an in-a-pinch face mask.

We want to be a part of the solution so we have done our due diligence to ensure that our headbands can indeed work as the cloth face masks that the CDC is recommending. (We had brainstormed on how we could manufacture medical grade face masks but at this time, it’s impossible as our manufacturing capability has been suspended due to a COVID-19 lockdown).

Below we’ve compiled 7 points you need to know before venturing out into the world with a KOOSHOO face covering.

How Effective will my Organic Headband be as a Cloth Face Mask?

Cloth masks are an additive to social distancing, NOT a substitute.
Cloth masks are recommended principally to protect others from you and not the other way around. Because so many people infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, wearing a cloth face mask can reduce the potential of asymptomatic people spreading the virus.
The US National Library of Medicine tested the efficacy of homemade masks and concluded: “A homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection.”.
In a study, Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, medical-grade masks were compared to facial coverings made from plain t-shirts and concluded: “the surgical masks were found to be three times more effective in blocking small particles than the t-shirts”.
The CDC also advises that “cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2 [or] anyone who has trouble breathing”
The CDC recommends that when removing a cloth face-covering after use, “individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose and mouth and wash hands immediately after removing”. They recommend machine washing after public use.
The tighter the weave of cloth (ie, fewer gaps in the fabric when held to the light), the better. If using a KOOSHOO Twist Headband try doubling up the fabric on itself or wearing two of your favorite Twist Headbands on top of each other.

Here’s how it boils down: wear a cloth face mask as one more step on top of social distancing, hand sanitizing and common sense to keep you from spreading or getting the virus. IT IS NOT THE SAME (OR CLOSE) TO WEARING A MEDICAL GRADE MASK, such as the N95.

Now, with all the disclaimers out of the way, if not keen on DIY mask crafting and you prefer a versatile product that can be both a temporary face mask and a long-lasting, super comfy headband then you’re in luck! Our Organic Twist Headbands are just that!

And while we could go on for days why our organic cotton, US-made Twist Headbands are better than all the others, we’ll let these selfies from our friends and family demonstrate how good you can look from a safe, social distance:

As we mentioned off the top, the Twist Headband was designed from the onset to be versatile. Here are several more ways you can sport your Twist Headband, when not in use as a face mask:

At 8 inches wide, the headband can be opened to cover from forehead right through to the crown of the head like a true bandana. This is great for sun-protection, hair coverage and styling options.
Due to its lightweight nature, the headband can be scrunched to act more as a brow headband, keeping sweat and hair at bay.
If that look is too messy for you, try folding the headband neatly and wearing along the hairline for that more classic tennis-headband look.
While the Twist performs an important function - helping to secure the headband in place at the nape of the neck - it can also be worn facing forward for a fashionable twist headband.
The super-soft organic cotton makes for delightful eye mask when needing a little shut-eye while on the move.