Home / OCTO® Respirator Mask Cost Per Wear

How do you calculate the cost of a mask? You calculate the cost per wear.

The OCTO Respirator Mask (ORM®) is highly reusable and its retail price compares well to other respirators and half-face masks. Please note that N95s and Surgical Masks are designed to be disposable, and their manufacturers recommend discarding them after a single use.

ORM for Casual Wear,  $0.21 per wear

2 years of use
Occasional shopping, commuting, casual interactions
About 4 hours of use per week

ORM for Commuter Wear,  $0.34 per wear

1 year of use
Errands, commuting, up-to 5 interactions per wear 
About 15 hours of use per week

ORM for Frontline Wear,  $0.68 per wear

6 months of use
8-hour-plus shifts of work with close contact with colleagues and public, and/or low-ventilation locales
About 40 hours of use per week

ORM V1.5 N95
(no vents)
Surgical Mask
Cost-per-wear $0.21 - $0.681 $1.16 - $2.502 $0.23 - $0.503
Filtration Efficiency >95% >95% 38.1%4
Comfort
Breathability
Secure Seal
Antimicrobial
Disinfection
Sterilization
Face-Chafing Prevention
Ear-Discomfort Prevention
10-Year Shelf Life
Durability
Glasses Don’t Fog-Up

1 Range due to 3 scenarios, above
2 Range due to price fluctuations, assumes a steady supply to market; has reached $20 for a single N95 in 2020
3 Range due to price fluctuations, assumes a steady supply to market; has reached $10 for a single Surgical Mask in 2020
4 JAMA Internal Medicine: Filtration Efficiency of Hospital Face Mask Alternatives Available for Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Edited 7/20/2021: Adjusted cost per wear to retail pricing of $89.00. Frontline worker discount is not reflected in this calculation. The frontline worker discount reduces the cost per wear to just $0.13 – $0.43.