Co-MASK is a global collaborative project aimed at creating DIY fabric masks that promote hope, humanity, and hygiene practices in time of crisis. The Co-MASK is being developed by a global network of individuals who collaborate across borders to address a shared concern: to raise awareness about the risks of COVID-19 infection and the need for physical distancing and self-isolation while advocating at the same time for solidarity with the most vulnerable in our global community.
Kiss and smile at a safe distance!
The project offers instructions in 25 languages for how to make masks in individual sizes at home (Arabic, Bosnian, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Marathi, Macedonian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Vietnamese). The masks can be made with minimal materials and tools, which can be easily found in many locations. Many of our translators have also adapted the content of the sewing instructions to their local contexts, addressing either cultural concerns or the availability of certain materials.
The masks are washable, have a nose clip, and allow you to insert a replaceable filter, such as a surgical mask. While the Co-MASK cannot prevent an infection with the Coronavirus, it offers protection from larger droplets and prevents you from touching your face. Suppression and self-isolation are the only measures proven to protect the larger community!
We hope to inspire you to create these masks for your family, friends, and your community to advocate self-isolation, hygiene, and heartfelt human connection. We are continuing to develop this global effort: our volunteers have been developing a free graphic kit with illustrations explaining the safe use of masks that would enable different NGOs working in refugee camps, deprived communities, and various crisis zones to use these images for free in their advocacy and awareness-raising work.
Create your own mask with a kiss and a smile, and post it on social media with the hashtag #CoMASK
Concept and initial sewing instructions: Azra Akšamija
Project text: Azra Akšamija, Sheila Kennedy, Anne Spirn
Administration, translations, and dissemination: Kia Adl, Shashwat Agarwal, Azra Akšamija, Doaa Aldaajah, Amani Yousef Alshaaban, Tim Cousin, Azra Dawood, Mateja Drenik, Andrey Fedorov, Rashmi Gajare, Iris Giannakopoulou, Eduardo Gascon Alvarez, Amra Hadzhimuhamedovic, Shing Huang, Wonki (Kii) Kang, Eli Keller, Afeefah Khazi-Syed, Thuy Le, Eytan Michael Levi, Daniella Samira Maamari, Cherrie Miot Abbanat, Shatavisha Mustafi, Tanuja Nailwal, Lira Nikolovska, Dietmar Offenhuber, Daniil Ozernyi, Diogo Pereira Henriques, Pushpaleela Prabakar, Zainab Rashid, Marcela Isabel Angel Samper, Ranu Singh, Seong Soon Jo, Melina Philippou, Sabina Rako, Carla Traini, Nancy Valladares, Nikolaos Vlavianos, Cagri Hakan Zaman
Drawings: Xio Alvarez, Angie Door, Natasha Hirt, Sharon Lin, Shannon McLean, Lira Nikolovska, Carol-Anne Rodrigues, Caroline Rosenzweig, Nitzan Zilberman
Co-creation project, kissing mask design and multilingual instructions
Project produced during the COVID-19 crisis in the spring 2019
Materials: recycled home fabrics, filters, rubber bands, photographs
Dimensions: variable