AS demand for face masks rises in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the door has been swinging at Newcastle's Rundle Tailoring.
The menswear store has been manufacturing cloth face masks since April.
But now that state governments are calling for people to wear face masks in circumstances where social distancing is difficult, Bronwyn and Andrew Rundle have been increasing their factory hours just to keep up with the demand.
"We are making a lot of masks at the moment," Ms Rundle said.
"They are coming straight off the production line here and then getting sold."
The Rundles began producing double and triple-ply cloth face masks when the NSW government called on Australian manufacturers to help global shortages of PPE (personal protective equipment) in April.
"They have ties, and the key thing is that they have a nose bar - that's important because it allows for a snug fit," Ms Rundle said.
The masks - which cost $15 for two-ply and $20 for three-ply - are reversible to allow for some variety after washing.
There are also smaller ones available for children.
"All the weddings were being postponed and cancelled - so all the normal work for our factory staff was basically put on hold," Ms Rundle said. "So this gave our staff the opportunity to keep working, as well as support our local community."
Dr Jessica Stokes-Parrish, an ICU nurse researcher and educator, released an instructional video via Twitter to teach people the correct way to put on and take off disposable medical face masks to help avoid contamination.
How to wear a mask - lessons from an Intensive Care Nurse. #COVID19#COVID19Vic#Masks4Allpic.twitter.com/6jSM7Urjw6
— Dr Jessica Stokes-Parish PhD, RN (@j_stokesparish) July 15, 2020
"People are more likely to contaminate themselves with infectious droplets when taking masks off, and our hands are one of the areas that carries these droplets," she said. "Evidence shows that using the same, consistent steps helps reduce the risk of droplet contamination.
"It's also important to note that using the mask is not a guarantee of protection - so be sure to utilise the strategies of physical distancing and staying at home when sick."
Dr Stokes-Parrish said one of the most common mistakes people made was touching their masks.
"The droplets sit on the mask, so when you touch it you are transferring those droplets to your fingers," she said. "If you do inadvertently touch the mask, just give your hands a wash straight after. I also see people forgetting to use hand hygiene prior to taking the mask off.
"It's good to get into the habit of washing your hands with soap or using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser before taking your mask off."
