Anteater Mask

Description

With the most vertical clearance of any of our 3D mask shapes, the Anteater is a good choice if you:

• Need lots of height and air space in your mask so your breathing doesn’t feel restricted
• Really hate damp fabric resting on your skin
• Prefer a mask to take up less area on your face
• Dislike pleats and don’t need the extra vertical coverage they provide
• Find nose wires uncomfortable but still need a decent seal around the bridge of your nose

The under-eye scoop keeps the mask from wandering up into your vision.  Clever shaping helps the edges forms a gap-free seal against your nose and the edges, but the rest of the mask stays lifted high off of anywhere it can block your air intake or get wet from exhaled moisture.

Your Options

Fabric Choices

All fabrics are have been put through a washer and dryer before cutting out the masks, so you can safely machine-wash and tumble-dry them.  If you intend to use bleach, you should stick with white cotton only and opt for the nose-piece at your own risk.  Natural fibres may require pressing to restore shape after laundering.

Ties or Elastics?

You can opt for adjustable ties that go behind the head, which allow you to customize the tightness (a good choice for people with sensitive ears).  Or you can choose ear elastics for ease of use.

If you choose the elastic option, the ear elastics will be sent to you threaded in the casings but not tied into a loop, so you can knot them at the length that’s most comfortable for you.  Once you’ve tied them off, you can rotate the loop so the knots are hidden in the casing.

Or if your ears tend to get sore and/or you have trouble tying straps, consider the Ear Rescue upgrade for an adjustable easy-on/off option.

Alternative Mask Styles

Depending on your face shape, style requirements, or preferences, you may find on of our other styles a better fit for you.  If you have a prominent chin, a beard, or a very mobile jaw (that is, if you move your jaw up and down a lot when you talk), you may want to look into the Accordion mask or the Ziggurat mask instead.  If you have a high, sharp nose bridge, or you find your glasses fog up in a mask, you should try the Ziggurat, Gondola, or Sparrowhawk mask styles.

Also consider getting more than one mask per person so you can wash and dry used masks after every wearing, especially if anyone in your family has cold-like symptoms, or if you’re in contact with other people for your job.

Filter pocket or not?

You can opt to go with three layers (regular price) or two layers plus a filter pocket ($2 extra).  If you’re not sure which is best for you, you can find out more in our Big Mask Update (part 1, part 2, and part 3).

Polypropylene middle layer

Since some people have been asking, we’re offering the option of making the middle layer (in three-layer masks only) out of garment-grade non-woven polypropylene fabric for an additional $2.  Otherwise, we’ll just use the usual tight-woven, breathable fabric for the middle layer.

If you want to know more about the pros and cons of polypropylene as a mask or filter material, you can find out in our Big Mask Update (part 3).

Ear Rescue Straps Upgrade

Ear Rescue straps consist of two separate straps, one adjustable with Velcro and one super-soft elastic, that go behind your head and take all the pressure off your ears.  You can have perfectly comfortable, pain-free ears even at the end of a long day of mask wearing!

You can learn more about the Ear Rescue strap system details or in the announcement post.

If you think you need extra-long or -short straps, or want them for a child, please contact us for instructions for custom measurements.

Questions about Masks

If you have questions about the usefulness, care instructions, and safety of face masks, read through these frequently asked questions.

If you’re still trying to figure out why you should or shouldn’t wear masks in public, here’s a critical thinker’s guide to face masks.

If you’re not sure which style is best for you, find out how to Fit Your Face.

Shipping

We ship via Canada Post.  Up to five masks travel by letter mail and do not have tracking numbers.  Larger quantities are shipped via parcel and tracking number is provided.  Note that Canada Post has suspended delivery guarantees.  If you want to get them faster, contact us for a quote on expedited shipping methods.

Disclaimers

Remember that no masks can offer full protection against any kind of infection or danger.  No info on this site should be taken as medical advice.  These masks are not meant to substitute for standardized medical equipment.  If you have health-related concerns, talk to your physician.

Please read the FAQ and the Mask Wear and Care instructions before using any masks!

For your safety and ours, returns or exchanges are absolutely not possible with face masks!

We’re doing our best to keep prices as low as humanly possible to help ensure everyone who wants masks can have them right now.  So we’re offering them for the cost of materials, plus minimum wage for our sewing time.  We’ll try to maintain this for as long as the need exists and our materials hold out.