A deep dive on face masks!

A deep dive on face masks!

A deep dive on face masks!

We recently started carrying face masks from Living Royal and they’ve been extremely popular, both with customers and staff. We’re finding that face masks are a very personal thing – some people prefer one style and some another. Simple two layer cotton? Multiple layers with a filter? Nose wire? Loops behind the ears or ties behind the head?

The unique thing about the Living Royal masks is the valve. You may have heard that exhalation valves are not recommended as they allow breath from the wearer to escape. This seems to defeat the purpose since the main function of non-medical fabric masks is to protect other people.

We asked Living Royal to explain why they are using these valves on their masks given that they present this problem. Their explanation is that the valve on their masks is blocked by a layer of cotton and a PM2.5 filter, so it does not allow one’s breath to escape. And given that their masks are very well fitted (they have a nose wire so you can adjust the mask to fit your face, and they also have adjustable loops for your ears), less air escapes from their masks than from most of the fabric masks people are wearing.

They included the valve mainly to help prevent your glasses from fogging up (and many of us have experienced that problem!) In a regular N95 mask with an exhalation valve, the valve is exposed on the inside of the mask and you can blow a flame out while wearing it. With their mask (even if you wear it without the filter) not enough air escapes to even make the flame flicker. They produced a short video showing a regular exhalation valve mask versus theirs. So this has reassured us, and we continue to sell and wear their masks. Watch the video below!


 


This is evolving terrain, of course, and we will update you if required. But at least now you know that if you are wearing one of these masks and someone accuses you of being an anti-social asshole for not protecting other people, you can be confident that’s not true and maybe you can share the information. The Living Royal masks are the best fitted masks we've tried. They also come in a smaller size for children!

So there you go! If you’ve made it this far you likely know more about face masks than you ever thought you wanted to. We’ve required face masks in our store since we reopened, and we’re glad the government has now mandated their use in indoor spaces in Toronto. 

 

Face Mask With Filter Black Adult
$21.95
Face Mask With Filter Navy Adult
$21.95
Face Mask With Filter Grey Adult
$21.95
Face Mask With Filter Camo Adult
$21.95
Face Mask With Filter Kitty All Over – Kids
$21.95
Face Mask With Filter Tie Dye – Kids
$21.95
Face Mask With Filter Jurassic Jungle – Kids
$21.95
PM2.5 Replacement Filters Pack of 5
$7.95


Current Hours

You can come visit us (wearing a mask of course, though we will give you one if you forget yours) from Monday to Thursday 12–6pm, and Friday & Saturday 12–7pm. We are currently closed on Sundays. Or you can order from our website and choose curbside pickup if you are still trying to minimize your trips out into the world.