I just recently saw this post: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4249113 where a lot of medical staff are appreciating these to help relieve the bands being behind their ears from wearing masks all day. Any ideas on what material we can utilize to make a similar design to help donate to hospitals? Is their a reliable acrylic that bends, or rubber that anyone could suggest that they have cut before?
Just trying to think of a way to help if we have a glowforge!
There are probably about 30 threads discussing masks, shields, s-hooks, etc. right now, if you take the time to look. Some of the more active:
Thank you - just not seeing anything about bendable material or for the straps so that’s why I posted. If you see something specific to that let me know as I’ve looked through the forums for a couple days. Most seem to be face shields.
A lot of GF folks are making S-shaped versions and variations. Someone posted one on here yesterday I believe and there are a bunch in the FB forums. For those, people use acrylic for reusable ones and draft board/wood for disposable. Someone also shared a living hinge version that has flex.
Pretty sure that would become a permanent part of my hair. 
#curlyproblems
i really wouldn’t suggest any kind of wood or draft board, even for disposable, if you’re giving to health care workers. those are not sanitary. the acrylic pieces can be cleaned and wiped down. the wood ones bring char that cannot be completely removed into a sterile environment, so i doubt any hospital would approve them. maybe for folks working in places that don’t need to be hospital sanitary, like grocery workers or postal carriers, that’s fine. but not hospitals.
That is exactly what I said. 
They may not work for a surgeon, but should be fine for pretty much anyone else. Your clothes aren’t sanitary, either. They’re a less expensive option if people are tossing them after a single use.
there’s a difference between your clothes not being sanitary and burned/char remains.
Well, yes. But I’m not sure I’d call these “burned remains.” 
ask your healthcare worker you plan to donate to before making and donating, so there are no misunderstandings.
i’m not a HC worker, but i do work in a related field and work with many providers. i’ve seen more than a few 3D printed plans rejected by hospitals, even for general use, because of issues with making them sanitary enough for use in a hospital setting. and those are 3D printed, not wood cut with a laser.
it’s possible there may be places willing to use them, but hospitals can be very picky about this kind of stuff. and should be.
I’ve been working closely with the 3D printed efforts at my maker space and, yes, they are very concerned about being able to sterilize items. But that’s for reuse. It’s like the masks… they need to be washable. That’s why acrylic is a better choice for reusable clips. The wood ones would be single use, and not near your face, so I’m not seeing the comparison. But I would only make them on demand anyway. Pretty much every woman in my big Irish Catholic is a teacher or a nurse, so once we’re back at home, I’m going to offer up choices.
Your advice to ask before making items to donate is smart no matter what you’re making. Many hospitals won’t take any of the things people are making.
Just saw someone on FB say she’s using Optix Plaskolite .05 acrylic from Home Depot. I don’t know anything about it, but it’s definitely flexible. 
I had to laugh today and figured you’d appreciate this after our conversation above.
I made a bunch of the s-clips in 1/16 acrylic, but left the masking on them all in part because of laziness and in part to keep them clean. But I gave instructions to everyone to remove the masking before use and to be prepared that it would smell smokey. My cousin just sent me a picture of someone happily sporting her clip… with the masking still on!
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