2020 has been a year like no other and one that we would all rather push fast forward on so that we can get back to our normal lives. It started with Australians facing a catastrophic and longer than ever bushfire season. This caused an increase in air pollution as a result in fact it has been said that in some parts of the country during January the air quality was so bad it was compared to the equivalent of smoking multiple cigarettes a day. Now with the Global Pandemic making us reconsider a simple trip to the shops there is more emphasis than even on the quality of the air that we breathe.
The good news is technology is here to play an important part in us staying healthy and eventually getting us back to leading normal lives. Take the entrepreneurial Australian brothers Isaac and Elisas Honor and their lifelong friend Jack Graham for example who have created a next level face mask with filters that allow you to breathe ‘pure’ Australian air.
The group were inspired by a trip to China in 2017, where they were horrified to learn of the pollution in the air, from there they set out to design an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable solution. After all the masks that have been available are questionable in both looks and performance and who doesn’t want a dash of style with their safety and the added health benefits of Australian botanicals. AusAir does just that.
Research has revealed that essential oils can combat problems caused by air pollution. AusAir’s lavender filter naturally reduces stress hormones which have been shown to increase from air pollution. Other filters include Sydney eucalyptus and coastal tea tree.
AusAir has continued to win multiple prestigious design and entrepreneur awards (Sydney University’s Innovation week, Genesis NEXT, China Start), with their innovative mask design and filters – their offering of multiple sizes, ergonomic design, memory foam and magic fit ear-loops creates a plush seal around facial contours which is critical to effective virus and disease protection.
The masks also surpass P2 and KN95 preliminary testing, which basically means that they protect users from fine particulate matter, with their filters blocking over 97% of PM2.5. An added carbon layer also adds additional protection.
‘With the unfortunate spread of Novel Coronavirus and the tragedy of the Australian bushfires, protection is really at the forefront of people’s minds,’ says co-founder Isaac Honor.
The mask went viral on Kickstarter, raising over $1.1 million and the irony of being “viral” is not lost on the team as viruses are the very thing they are trying to prevent transmission of.
This new futuristic mask is now in the final stages of development and will be delivered to customers by June 2020, and is available for pre-order on https://shopausair.com/.
