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5 Reasons You Should Wear Silk Scarves Instead of Masks During Corona
Look Good and do Good for the World
The CDC is urging the general population to wear masks made of breathable fabric close to the face whenever in public. As such, masks have transformed from unheard of to ubiquitous overnight. But, as worldwide shortages of medical masks have put pressures on global supply chains, people are turning to homemade alternatives to fill the void. Here are 5 reasons you should consider wearing silk scarves instead of medical-grade masks during this pandemic:
1. They are cheaper: A 30-pack of 3M’s popular N95 mask was selling on Amazon for $199.95 last week. That’s the same cost as a Stavros silk scarf (support small businesses), which can last you a lifetime!
2. They offer similar safety and efficacy: Silk scarves have been found to be nearly equivalent to the highly effective N95 masks. A recent study, by researchers at the University of Chicago found: “One layer of a tightly woven cotton sheet combined with two layers of polyester-spandex chiffon, filtered out the most aerosol particles (80–99%, depending on particle size), with performance close to that of an N95 mask material. Substituting the chiffon with natural silk, produced similar results.” Care must be taken to double-fold the scarf and make sure that they are tight around the nose and mouth for maximal efficiency.
3. They are more fashionable: Masks conceal us, removing an element of our fashion and individuality. But what if we could wear a mask that not only protected us but also heightened our sense of style and self-expression? Enter the silk scarf. Politicians such as Nancy Pelosi and TV personalities such as Doctor Deborah Birx have kickstarted this trend, and many others are just beginning to follow. Now, some of the world’s greatest fashion houses are also jumping on the bandwagon (read: “In the Fight Against Coronavirus, the Hermès Scarf Becomes an Unlikely Weapon”).
4. They are more sustainable: Tens of millions of single-use masks are being disposed of everyday, raising alarm bells for global marine ecosystems. Many medical-grade masks contain materials that are not recyclable. These masks are made using non-woven fabrics including plastics, which wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. According to NOAA, as plastic swirls around in the water, much of it breaks down to tiny pieces, called micro-plastics. Then, many fish species consume plastics debris, confusing it for real food and at least 600 different wildlife species are threatened by the pollution. High quality silk scarves, which can last a lifetime, can help keep our oceans clean and our animals healthy.
5. They help alleviate the global mask shortage: As most of the global mask supply comes from China (currently, China produces 200 million masks per day), the global mask supply chain is being spread increasingly thin. Severe mask shortages have resulted in hospitals throughout the US and the world, putting tens of thousands of healthcare workers’ lives at risk. It is thus our duty, and our prerogative to help our frontline healthcare workers have access to these masks when they need them.
Stavros, a local fashion and lifestyle brand, has just launched a line of silk scarves that can be worn as face masks. And they are donating 100% of sales of their “Apart but Together” scarf to coronavirus relief efforts. Help them reach their goal of raising $7000 (25 000 DHS). So, on your next grocery run, consider ditching your face mask for a silk scarf, and look good while doing good for the world. Shop now!
6 Reasons why Silk is the Bedding of your Dreams
Make silk part of your beauty sleep routine.
What do beauty sleep, ancient China and the queen of fabrics have in common? As we’ll soon learn, the common thread is silk. Since ancient times, caring for hair and skin has been a constant challenge. Even ancient Chinese empresses had to deal with frizzy hair, uneven skin texture, or clogged pores.
While spa treatments are a great maintenance tool, ancient Chinese wisdom prescribes daily habits to create sustainable long-term health and benefits for both skin and hair. Some of the best ways to care for healthy hair and skin are through a balanced diet rich in healthy fats, low in refined sugar, and some good self-care routines. However, even with a great routine, even the hair of royalty falls out or skin acts up! There are many reasons for this, including low biotin, hair-shedding season, a lack of nutrients in the diet, postpartum hair loss, low blood circulation, stress, or dry winter skin and scalp... life happens!
So what can we do about this? Enter - the queen of fabrics, silk. The luxurious, soft, and breathable alternative to cotton that is a must-try with any beauty sleep ritual. Here are 6 reasons why:
1. Silk is Non-Irritating
Due to silk’s non-irritating fibre texture, the fabric does not damage or pull against your hair or skin while you sleep. If you are a side sleeper, turn during the night, or suffer from acne, rest easy knowing that silk bedding is seamless, soft, and buttery against your hair and skin.
2. Silk is Skincare + Hair Care Friendly
Silk supplements all your beauty and hair treatments, and does not work against it. Importantly, it does not absorb your face serums and creams (you spend money on your skin care for it to go into your skin, not your pillowcase!) or products in your hair. Silk is also anti-wrinkling, supporting your skin with a smooth and breathable surface to lie, rest, and replenish.
3. Silk is Better for your Bed Head
Have you ever craved the perfect air dried hair, no matter your hair type? Silk pillowcases can help. Less frizzy, more naturally flowy hair texture.
4. Silk is Cooling
As silk is naturally cooling to the touch, it is luxurious and so pampering to sleep on, and it does not heat up the same way other bedding linens do. This means, yet again, creating optimal sleep conditions for a restful night’s sleep. You will no longer need to keep flipping the pillow to get the cool side!
5. Silk is Breathable
Dirt, sweat, and moisture will not clog up in the weave of the fabric and fresh air will flow through the silk pillowcase, sheets, or eye mask. The proper etiquette for regular pillow cases requires flipping them every two days and changing them every week. With silk, you have a little more leniency and can go up to two weeks before flipping.
6. Silk Blocks out the Light
If you love sleep masks, you know what the elastics can create trouble for your hair strands, and the mask itself can clog pores and cause you to sweat. For all of the above reasons, silk eye masks are gentle on the skin and gentle on your hair! But beyond these benefits, masks do wonders for blocking out the light. The science behind eye masks lies in the sensors by your eyebrows. Yes, that’s right, you have light sensors above your eyes that help you wake up and sleep according to your circadian rhythm. A silk eye mask covers your sensors, creating darkness whether at home or on the go. So, a silk sleeping eye mask might just be the sleeping aid you’ve been searching for.
As self-proclaimed health and fashion enthusiasts, and someone who interviews health professionals (one of us), we highly recommend making silk part of your beauty sleep routine. Try a silk pillowcase and a matching silk sleeping mask and become the king or queen of your own sleep kingdom.