Tips for 'nice' mouth caps, if you have to

People with face masks. Until recently, that was the dentist who hung over your mouth, the surgery team in an OR or a handy professional who saws tiles to size. In the wild you sometimes only saw a tourist strolling on Dam Square with a hidden mouth. That has changed since corona time, in fact, on June 1, a mouth cap is mandatory in public transport. Fortunately not everywhere as in the photo, but in public transport it is.

A month and a half ago I saw someone shopping in the Kruidvat with a mouth cap for the first time. That 1.5 meters was already mandatory then, but everyone took a little more distance from the woman in question just to be sure. Because does it mean that there is something wrong with you or that you are afraid that you will get something?

It's something we'll have to get used to soon. As of June 1, you will just get a fine if you don't wear one, it's that simple.

Mandatory mouth caps in public from 1 June

As in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain, travelers on public transport will soon be required to wear a face mask in the Netherlands.

From 1 June, trains, metros, trams and regional buses will be allowed to run again according to the normal timetable. Because keeping 1.5 meters away is almost impossible - otherwise the trains can only transport a quarter of the normal number of travelers - mouth caps are mandatory. Mouth caps can help prevent the corona virus from giving way again, thinks Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Anyone who does not wear one risks a fine, the cabinet warns.

You have to arrange your mouth cap yourself

So you have to arrange your mouth cap yourself. Please note: it may not be a medical mask, because those scarce protective equipment are mainly for the healthcare staff. You have to buy or make a mouth nose cap yourself, with the main function that you do not infect others if you have the virus among the members (which you do not always know).

Mouth caps are functional, they don't have a 'nice' function, but we can make it as easy, practical and / or fun as possible, right?!

How do you arrange that?

There are already many initiatives and webshops online that sell mouth caps. Below is a list of links and tips for you. Have you found something else, would you like to share it with us in a comment below?

1 - Washable Bamboo Mouth Mask

This washable bamboo mouth mask is made with 100% bamboo and made entirely Fairtrade in Europe. It consists of 2 layers, so there is room to insert a filter or, for example, kitchen paper. No pressure on the ears because this mouth cap is tied. Bamboo is an antibacterial and breathable material and therefore does not heat. Washable at 60 degrees.

Available at Van Bamboo - €8.95

2 - Cotton face mask with your own text or logo

Do you want a personalized mouth cap? That too is possible. You can order these 100% cotton mouth caps with your own text or photo. They are not medical, but are suitable for use in public transport from 1 June. There is room in the mouth cap to place a 2-layer filter of, for example, kitchen paper.

Available at Sweetest design - €8,-

3 - Mouth cap with flowers

This mouth cap looks pretty cheerful. Eveline sews these herself on commission from floral cotton, but you can also choose from other fabrics in the shop. They are washable and therefore reusable. With this floral mouth cap, traveling with public transport will be a bit more fun.

Available at Colourkindje.nl - 2 for €15

4 - Make your own mouth cap

Are you handy with a sewing machine? Then Knip Mode has a free Mouthmask Pattern available for you as a PDF download . The digital pattern is made in 4 sizes, so you can also make a cool cap for your kids! On the page where you can download the pattern you will also find a handy video with clear explanations.

The free pattern is available through Knip mode

Last but not least

Ingrid van Roppongi pointed us to this tip: folding a mouth cap from a Furoshiki . In the video below you can see how that is done.