The UK government among many others are increasingly under pressure to change their stance on wearing face masks in public. New evidence suggests that everyone doing so may help contain the epidemic further.

But would that even be possible considering face masks in pharmacies and hospitals have been running short for weeks now. The N95 face mask — the industry staple for protection — has been selling out in record numbers.

So what to do if you can’t even buy one? Make one of course!

In the wake of this crisis passionate sewing enthusiasts and the occasional doomsday preppers have been flooding social media with posts about DIY face mask tutorials. Homemade masks are not as effective as N95, but as the experts agree, it is better than nothing, and many hospitals are not only accepting but even asking for donations of such masks from the public.

Top DIY face mask guides & printing patterns

We now invite you to check out some of the best guides we found so far online for making your own protective mask at home. You will also see quick access links to PDF files you’ll need to print for the sewing patterns.

No printer at home? Print your PDF and deliver to your door the next day with Printt Delivery.

Type 1: Cloth Only — Filters about 50% of 0.3 microns

Face Mask Template By The New York Times; Download PDF

The Fu Face Mask Pattern; Download PDF

Face Mask by Good Housekeeping; Download PDF

Face Mask by Craft Passion; Download PDF

Type 2: With HEPA Filter (from vacuum cleaner or fabric) — Filters about 90% of 0.3 microns

Face Mask by Dr. Ryan Southworth; Download PDF

The Olson Mask by UnityPoint Health — Cedar Rapids; Download PDF

Have fun making these! And don’t forget if you need printing delivered, just get the Printt app, add your files and get your prints the next day.

Final message from our team, stay safe and let’s all try to help each other, especially those on the front line!