TEXTILES.ORG
As air pollution continues to be a serious issue, particularly in urban areas, the quality of indoor air is also a concern. The World Health Organization estimates that about 90 percent of people worldwide breathe polluted air, resulting in an estimated eight million deaths each year. With these statistics, mitigating air pollution in homes is an important consideration for family health.
IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings retailer, has made a commitment to contribute to clean air by actively reducing air pollutants in company practices—and by helping people purify the air in their homes. To that end, IKEA has developed a curtain that cleans the air.
The GUNRID curtain purifies the air using technology similar to the photosynthesis process found in nature. A mineral-based surface treatment applied to the textile acts as a photocatalyst, enabling the curtain to break down air pollutants in contact with both indoor and outdoor light.
Developed by IKEA in collaboration with European and Asian universities, and their suppliers and innovators, GUNRID is designed to help people breathe better at home and raise awareness aboutindoor air pollution to inspire changes that contribute to clean air globally. While the GUNRID is the first IKEA product to use the technology, the company anticipates future applications on other textiles. For more information, visit www.ikea.com.