FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 Mask (this mask type is no longer available)

Have a question about your FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 Mask? See our below FAQ for more information. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us at [e-mail].

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Questions about the Product:

1. What does FDA Emergency Authorized mean?
   • FDA Emergency Authorized means that the manufacturer of the mask (Guangzhou Nan Qi Xing Non-Woven Co, Ltd.) applied for the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization and is listed on FDA's Appendix A, which is a list of non-NIOSH respirators made in China authorized by the EUA for emergency use. For more information, please see this article explaining the differences between the two masks.
   • UPDATE: Emergency Use Authorized (EUA) has been revoked for all China-made masks in the US last July 8, 2021 so this is now called FDA Registered Mask on our website.
2. Why is your Sustainable KN95 mask not FDA Emergency Authorized? 
   • On October 15th, 2020 the FDA announced that they would no longer be taking applications to Appendix A. Our Sustainable KN95 mask is manufactured by a different company and unfortunately, their application was not submitted in time by the FDA to be listed on the FDA's Appendix A. 
3. What is the filtration rate on the FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 mask?
   • It is effective against 95%+* of airborne particles 0.3 microns or larger and includes superior droplet leak protection. You can see the test results here.
     
     *Particle count measured as a percentage of NaCl particles passing through the KN95 mask at an airflow rate of 85L/min following standard GB 2626-2019 Section 6.3.
4. What’s the difference between N95 and KN95 certification?
   • Like many industries, masks have different names based on where they are certified. KN95 refers to the regulatory standard used in China for filtering face respirators (FFRs). N95 refers to the regulatory standard used in the US.
     
     According to Columbia University,  authentic KN95 respirators provide equivalent protection of an N95 respirator. However, a N95 mask is NIOSH approved and for medical use.
5. Is the FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 mask NIOSH approved?
   • No. These masks are not NIOSH approved.
6. Are these surgical masks?
   • No, they are not.
7. What is the mask made of?
   • Our FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 masks feature a 5-layer filtration system. The layers are made from high-quality, nonwoven polypropylene fabric, hot air cotton, and melt-blown polypropylene fabric.
8. Do these follow the CDC guidelines for face coverings?
   • Yes. They are not specifically CDC certified, but they follow the CDC's guidelines for face coverings.
9. Where is the FDA Emergency Authorized mask made?
   • The mask is made in China by Guangzhou Nan Qi Xing Non-Woven Co, Ltd.
10. How long does a mask last? 
    • A single 10-pack of masks will last one person for 30 days when used lightly (eg. going to the grocery store, running errands, etc.) 
11. What do you mean by using the mask lightly?
    • Light use can mean running errands, going to the grocery store, etc. If you are in a densely populated area (i.e. in a crowd, in a music festival, etc), this is heavier use. In these situations, you can use your mask for up to 4 hours.
12. How often do I need to discard the product? For example, if I go to the store one day for 30 minutes, do I need to use a new mask?
    • No, in that case, you should take off the mask by the elastic and store it safely in a Ziploc bag. It can be reused again for another short trip. For second-time use, please take the mask by the earloops out of the bag. Don’t touch the outside front. This can be repeated for trips up to 4 effective hours in total.
13. Does this mask have a nose wire?
    • Yes, this mask has a nose wire to ensure a snug fit.
14. Does this mask come in different colors?
    • Yes. The mask comes in black and white.
15. Does this mask come in different sizes?
    • No, the mask only comes in one size. It is comparable to our XL-sized masks.
16. Is this mask suitable for kids?
    • This mask is suited for older kids (eg. Age 9 and above) but not for younger children.
17. What do I do if the mask is too large for me?
    • You can tie a knot in the elastic straps to make the mask fitted to your face size.
18. What are the dimensions of the mask?
    • The mask is 6.125 inches long (the nose to chin measurement) and 8.25 inches wide. Please refer to the following diagram.
      
      

Questions about Recycling the Product:

1. Can I recycle this product at my local recycling service?
   • No. Due to regulations, FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 masks cannot be recycled through your own municipal collection service, but only through this mail-back program.
2. How do I recycle my product safely?
   • Please place the used masks back in the envelope they arrived in, and place the pre-paid return shipping label over the original label on the envelope.
3. How are these masks safely recycled?
   • The mask is made of virgin plastics only and the materials will be decontaminated and separated to flow into normal processes for plastic recycling. They will be made into low-end industrial products (for example, shipping pallets). They will not be used to make another mask.
4. What do I do if I have lost my mailer or return label?
   • If you have lost your original mailer, please use any other envelope/mailer to return your masks to us using the provided return label. If you have lost your return label, you can reach out to us here and we will provide you a new label to print out at home.
5. Are international orders eligible for the recycling program?
   • No, we only accept domestic orders for our recycling program. The carbon footprint for recycling international orders in the USA would be worse than recycling it in your home country.
     
     If you are an international customer who wants to recycle your mask, you will need to research recycling companies in your country to see if there are options for you to recycle your face masks safely.

Caring for my mask:

1. How do I properly care for my mask?
   • When using your mask, please try to keep it dry and be careful not to let it get damaged or bent. If you are reusing your mask a second time, we recommend safely storing it in a plastic Ziploc.
2. Can I wash this mask?
   • No. The mask's filter efficiency will decrease if it gets wet, so please keep it dry.
3. What do I do if my mask gets wet?
   • We recommend throwing away the mask and not reusing it, as its efficiency decreases when it is wet.
4. Can I disinfect my mask?
   • No. If you spray a disinfectant on the outside of your mask, it will get wet and consequently have a lower filter efficiency. It will not be as effective if you spray it with a disinfectant.

General Questions

1. Can I return the product if I am not happy with it?
   • Masks are a personal use item and cannot be returned. Please contact us here if you have additional questions.
2. I ordered the Sustainable KN95 masks and I want the FDA Emergency Authorized mask. Can I trade them for these instead if they are unopened?
   • We unfortunately cannot accept returns or trade-ins in order to help keep everyone safe. Since masks are a personal item, we are unable to verify if they are still safe to use if they are unopened or not. We will not allow you to trade them for these masks. Please reach out to us here if you have additional questions.
3. Can you expedite the shipping of my masks?
   • For one-time purchases, you can expedite shipping when you check out. At this time, expedited shipping is not available for subscriptions.
4. Can you donate FDA Emergency Authorized KN95 masks for my organization?
   • Please submit a request on our donations page here.
5. What are the earloops made of?
   • The earloops are made of nylon elastic.
6. Are the earloops adjustable?
   • They are not adjustable and do not include cord adjusters.
7. Can these masks be used during exercise?
   • These masks are unsuitable for exercise as they are made of firmer and thicker material. 
8. Are these masks packed individually?
   • No, they come in packs of 5 or 10 pieces. The polybag is resealable to safely store your unused masks if you take one out. 
9. How long can I store these masks before they lose their effectiveness?
   • The masks can be stored safely for two years without losing their function.
10. Will the dye from the black mask transfer or stain my face?
    • The inside lining of the mask is white, so the mask will not stain your face.
11. Why is are some of the masks I received are labeled  Nan Qi Xing and some are not?There are two versions of this mask in the US market.