200 individually wrapped Good Manner KF94 masks, small in white, branded by the manufacturer as the Kids size. Made in South Korea by Handa Health Care and approved by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a quasi-drug in the health mask category, item code 202000037.

Construction

Three-panel horizontal folding design, the same build as the adult size in smaller dimensions. The centre panel is four layers: a polypropylene nonwoven outer, a nonwoven support layer, the filter, and a nonwoven lining. The upper and lower panels, which sit against the nose and chin, are three layers: outer, filter and lining.

The filter is electrostatically treated meltblown polypropylene, made without adhesives or fragrances under the approved raw material specification. A shapeable plastic nose piece runs along the top edge, and the mask has soft elasticated earloops.

Sizing

183 mm wide against 207.8 mm for the adult size, with shorter earloops at 120 mm rather than 150 mm. It suits smaller faces, which for most families means primary-school age upwards, though faces vary a great deal and the only real test is whether the edges sit against the cheeks without gapping.

Using these with children

The manufacturer's caution on the pack asks that anyone who finds breathing difficult while wearing the mask stops using it, and names children specifically alongside pregnant women, people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, and the elderly.

Our own advice, which is common sense rather than anything from the documents: only give a mask to a child old enough to take it off unaided and to tell you if they are uncomfortable, keep an eye on them while they wear it, and take it off if they are struggling. Don't put one on a sleeping child, and don't use one on a baby or toddler.

Tested performance

Good Manner KF94 was tested by KOTITI Testing & Research Institute in Korea against the MFDS guideline for KF94 masks.

Report 82211509103328-001, issued 6 July 2021. Read the full report (PDF).

Please read this alongside the figures above. That report tested the adult Large White, on a 2021 production lot, and the Korean approval has been varied since. The filter media is common to all variants under the approval, and this size is the same build scaled down, but the testing was not carried out on this variant. We have asked the manufacturer for current reports covering all four variants and will publish them here. We would rather tell you that than let a table imply more than it shows.

Independent testing

In testing commissioned by CBC Marketplace and published in April 2021, three samples of the Good Manner KF94 tested at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health recorded filtration efficiencies of 99.2%, 99.6% and 99.9%. CBC tested 14 KN95 and KF94 brands bought at retail; half did not meet their stated filtration standard.

CBC tested the adult black version, on samples bought in Canada in early 2021. We cite it as independent corroboration of the brand rather than as testing of this variant or of current stock. CBC and the University of Toronto tested the mask. They did not endorse or rank it.

Fit and glasses

The three-panel fold opens into a shaped cup, so the mask sits away from the mouth rather than flat against it. If your child wears glasses, the fold directs more breath forward than a flat mask does, but the nose panel is breathable and the nose piece is plastic rather than a mouldable metal wire, so it will not stop lenses fogging for everyone. Our FAQ explains why.

Specification

Raw materials are manufactured to the specifications in the Korean approval, which include purity testing for formaldehyde, fluorescent whitening agents, colourants and acid or alkali residues. The inner fabric has undergone skin-compatibility testing at an accredited institution.

Use and care

Single use. Shape the nose piece to the bridge of the nose and adjust the earloops so the edges sit against the face without gapping.

Replace the mask when it becomes soiled, damp or damaged. Don't share a mask, and don't wash or reuse one. Wash hands after handling a used mask, and put it in a bin. Keep unused masks in their wrapper, away from heat and direct sunlight, and check the printed expiry date.

Do not use in enclosed spaces where the oxygen concentration is below 18%. If wearing the mask makes breathing difficult, stop using it and speak to a doctor if you need to.

Made in South Korea. Korean approval certificate (PDF) · This carton, translated · FAQ