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 | |||
| 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.