Tell us about your new mask business. How have you been researching them?

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Well, it began as a way to channel my complaining, lazy words into action. Things like; provide healthcare professionals with PPE because our government is not. Read, learn and then discuss COVID-19 in a way that is based on fact and does not incite panic or irrational fear. My father-in-law really motivated me to make it a business and not a temporary hobby. I realized how this brought together skills I already had to help provide my community with something we need! Thankfully, there is a consistent flow of research that follows the release of CDC guidelines and suggestions. I use these as a starting point and cross-reference the information with other scientific (fabric) research. The most recent was an article by Science Daily which discussed why a combination of cotton with natural silk or chiffon is the most effective mask fabrics. This was further confirmed by the US National Library of Medicine in an article by the American Chemical Society which stated that having an electrostatic barrier in the mask (such as flannel, chiffon, or silk) filters 80%-90% of all aerosol particles. However, the mask must fit the wearer well or the filtration is significantly less. This is one of the reasons I am so careful with how I sew them and have chosen the pattern so specifically! I want every single mask to be as protective as possible = covers the mouth and nose, has little to no gaps around the nose, ears or chin, and allows the individual to still breathe.