A few months back, when the CDC first recommended everyone wear cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19, people started sporting everything from single-use surgical masks to illicitly-acquired N95s to no-sew DIY masks. But now, there are so many reasons to invest in several well-made cloth face masks.

For one thing, it’s important to wash your cloth face masks regularly — in fact, John Hopkins Medicine recommends washing your face after every single use — so having at least two or three masks means you’ll never risk not having a clean one available. Additionally, some people recommend keeping an extra mask in your car or backpack, for those times you forget to wear one or accidentally get yours dirty. Plus, since we’re wearing face masks every day, it’s totally fair if you want to have different options in rotation to coordinate with your outfits — especially if that incentivizes you to keep it on your face.

Not to mention, medical-grade masks such as surgical masks and N95 masks should be reserved for healthcare professionals who are caring for coronavirus patients. People hoarding PPE such as masks and gloves have contributed to PPE shortages in medical settings — so if you’re only using your mask outside of medical settings, opt for a cloth mask.

Using a reusable cloth mask is much more sustainable than a disposable surgical mask — you can use the same fabric mask over and over again, while a surgical mask is designed to be single-use. Not only is using a reusable bath more eco-friendly, but it’s also cheaper in the long run (assuming we have to keep wearing masks in the long run, which, unfortunately, we probably will). Plus, the CDC specifically recommends cloth face coverings, not medical-grade masks, for outings — so why not listen to the CDC and be more eco-friendly?”