Donate face shields or fabric face masks

If you want to sew fabric face masks or make plastic face shields to donate, follow these instructions.

Use 100% cotton or cotton blend fabric type without coatings or treatments

Mask materials must be:

• Washable. Choose a fabric that can handle high temperatures and bleach without shrinking or otherwise deforming.
• Tightly woven but breathable. We recommend high thread-count cotton and cotton flannel. It should feel like a dress shirt or bed sheet fabric

Ideally, use four layers of fabric. Double-layers are acceptable.

Fabric should be stable for machine wash warm, tumble dry low.

Put the finished mask in a wash test.

All materials must be latex-free. Shields do not need coatings or treatments, including antimicrobial coatings.

Keep fabric color simple

We prefer neutral, solid color masks.

Fit

Masks should tightly fit the area around the nose and mouth. This is from the bridge of the nose down to the chin and extending onto the cheek beyond the corners of the mouth. 

No gaps should occur when talking or moving.

See our sample mask sewing pattern.

We can accept face shields that follow these criteria.

A face shield must have a clear barrier for the front and sides of the face and neck. It should be impermeable to potentially infectious splashes. It must also follow these specifications:

• Headband has about 1.5 inches of foam in front. It must be thick enough to hold the shield away from users’ face and not interfere with an N-95 mask.
• 7 to 9 inches long
• Cannot contain latex, fiberglass, odorants, or antimicrobials in materials that contact users' skin.

The shields must follow these rules from the FDA:

• FAQs about 3D printed medical devices 
• Letter of Emergency Use Authorization
• Enforcement policy

We prefer shields with:

• Anti-fog coating
• Rounded edges on face shield
• Cloth-wrapped, flat elastic band
• No gap between face shield and forehand where face shield goes across forehead preferred

We prefer that the shields be able to be disinfected, but it is not required.

Fill out this form to donate.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. The City and County of San Francisco’s Tax ID number is 94-6000417.

Donations to the Give2SF COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund will be directed toward the purposes identified in areas the City designates as having the greatest need during the coronavirus emergency, as allowed by the Second Supplement to Mayoral Proclamation Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency Dated February 25, 2020 issued on March 13, 2020.

Donors will be included in a report to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors, with information including the donor name, the value of the donation, and any financial interest the donor has involving the City. Such financial interests include any contract, grant, lease, or request for license, permit, or other entitlement with or pending before the City. This information may also be posted to the City’s website at a later date.

If the financial interest disclosure requirement applies to you, or if you have any questions about the other reporting requirements, please email Give2SF@sfgov.org. 

The City is unable to accept anonymous donations