And breathe. We do it without even thinking don’t we! The natural function of inhaling and exhaling. But what about the quality of the air we’re taking in. We think of pollution all the time at a global level. We think of outside with its car fumes and pollutants. But we (well I for one) never think about the pollution levels within our own home. And since 2020 boy have spent so much more time in own homes, more than ever before. The scary thing is I’ve only just found out that my home (and yours) is full of nasty pollutants. And so I’m here to tell you about briiv, the only natural and sustainable air filter out there and you need to know about it.
Pollutants in your home
Pollutants don’t just come from traffic and factories. The truth is that everyday living in our homes releases all manner of tiny particles and gases. From DIY to lighting a candle, brushing your dog to cooking dinner. Let’s not even start on cleaning products!! The truth is that we cannot get away from them. Breathing them in every single second of every single day.
From tiny particles of dust and dirt in the air like soot or dust mites through gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide. Indoor air pollution has many causes, from gas stoves and wood burners, to damp and mould. And yes, even your pets.
Why Do we need to get rid of pollutants in our home
The most terrifying bit is that 7 million people a year die prematurely from air pollution every year! That’s the entire population of Demark and more! And although in door air pollution affects us all differently it does have a direct impact on everyone’s health. Those with pre existing allergies or health conditions like asthma will be more susceptible of course. And for that matter children are more vulnerable too as their lungs are still developing and their airways are naturally smaller. But the fact remains that air quality is crucial to us all. Add into the mix a 2018 study that found that air quality (or lack thereof) can also have noticeable detrimental effects on brain function too. And well it’s something we all need to think more about when it comes to not only our homes but our well being too.
The problem with HEPA filters
So I think by now we can all agree that we should be thinking about investing in cleaner air within our own four walls. But as with any purchase for our homes this can come with its own environmental impact. And in the case of air purifiers the main culprit is the filters. The very thing we hope will make our air cleaner (and they do) sadly also carry with them an environmental cost.
Hepa filters on average need to be replaced every six to eight months. Which seems quite good at first glance. The problem though is when you factor in the amount of homes that are already using HEPA filters. In 2019 alone 15,000,000 air filters were purchased. And here’s the rub, not a single HEPA filter is recyclable. In fact 6000 tonnes of HEPA filters go to landfill every year. That’s the equivalent in weight of 500 London buses every single year. And the resulting catastrophe? They will take a millennia to decompose. So on the one hand we may be solving our issues with air quality but on the other we’ve created an even bigger problem!
What’s so unique about briiv’s filters
When I first laid eyes on my briiv my immediate thought was that it belonged in an art gallery. It’s sleek. modern and yet timeless. Not only that but it’s one of those designs that as soon as you set eyes on it you wonder how come no ones ever thought of it before. It’s so simple in design and yet wonderfully ingenious at the same time relying on a series of natural filters that are as captivating to look at as they are functional.
Moss
Natural dried reindeer moss captures large particulate matter like dust and animal dander from the air. Don’t worry, it’s sustainably harvested in Finland. And from managed woodlands too where they allow time between each harvest for it to recover.
Coconut
The second layer of filtration comes courtesy of the humble and yet oh so useful coconut. Fibres from its husk trap harmful substances from the air.
Combination Silk Matrix
The final filtration level comes in the form of a bespoke filter which combines naturally occurring carbon and silk nanofibers. These nanofibers are briiv’s secret weapon. Originally developed for the medical industry these cutting edge filters remove the finest harmful particles from the air and are 100% biodegradable unlike their HEPA counterparts. Add in activated charcoal too and briiv not only to cleans the air but makes it smell much sweeter too by also scrubbing odours as it works to clean your air for you.
What is briiv made from
It’s not just the filters that are an issue with many air purifiers either. It’s what they’re made of too. Plastic!! That one material that we just can’t seem (for some unknown reason) to live without. Even when there are better and readily available alternatives too. briiv understands this and believe it or not it’s body is 90% natural materials.
Instead of opting for oil-based plastics, briiv took a stance. With grass (yes you heard me right, grass) they use a new form of bio-plastic. Miscanthus or elephant grass grows where food crops would fail. It’s been used for animal bedding for quite a while now which is how I know of it. But I didn’t know it was also at the cutting edge of plastic technology.
Elephant grass is an extremely fast growing crop requiring no pesticides or fertiliser to grow. Nor is it invasive and it absorbs more than four times as much CO2 as a forest whilst growing making it perfect to grow on land that has no other use. Add to this that it has the same energy value as coal and lots of cellulose fibres this led it to become a viable alternative to fossil based plastics.
Even better, from the environmentally friendly elephant grass bio-plastic, to the sustainable moss, everything is made by hand. Even the recycled glass terrarium style lid resulting in each briiv having its own unique character. And once each component is complete it’s assembled by hand too in a converted mill in Leeds by a dedicated and passionate team.
As if this wasn’t enough 90% of every briiv is either biodegradable or recyclable too. Unbelievably all the major parts will break down back into soil within 3 years if left outside. And you can pop the glass in with your recycling. All that leaves is the final 10% that’s left in the form of the electricals. But briiv aren’t resting on their laurels where this is concerned either. They hope to replace these in time as and when safe and sustainable alternatives become available.
Harnessing the power of plants with briiv
This is where the award winning briiv comes in. It’s an innovative, natural product that cleans your air just as effectively as its environmentally harmful competitors but its design and ethos is completely different. You see it’s been designed with one thing in mind. And that is that its as natural and sustainable as possible. It is in fact designed to be returned to the earth. And each briiv is the equivalent of having an astounding 3043 medium size house plants in your home. So if like me you are a danger to foliage you too can enjoy the benefits of having plants in your home without the hassle or plant death related costs.
but does briiv work
Well the simple and quickest answer and is yes it does. But I think I do need to back this up with a few facts for those amongst you who like to know the science. In fact it’s more of a combination of nature along with science giving us what we need. the three natural layers that make up the filtration system specifically filter out progressively smaller particles. Moss captures the large particles. Coconut the mid size particles. And the fine silk and carbon matrix filter handles the really small particles.
In fact briiv will effectively improve the air quality in a 36m² (387ft²) living space in just one hour using the boost function. With an impressive delivery of 53 cubic feet per minute of purified air. But don’t just take my word for it the technical documents are there for one and all to read.
Trees for all – reduce what you can, offset what you can’t
If you think at this point like me that briiv is just about the best invention since the wheel well it gets better. As with all businesses there are environmentally friendly processes that are yet to be invented. Whether it be to do with production, logistics, energy consumption etc. And so as a brand they offset this with a tree planting programme in association with carbonfund.org who are leading the fight against climate change. Honestly this just keeps getting better and better.
my thoughts on briiv
Having used my briiv at home for a few weeks now I can honestly say hand on heart that it is amazing in all aspects. As William Morris once said, ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’ And briiv has both in abundance. The looks and the functionality. From the packaging, through to build quality, innovative use of technology, materials and overall design it’s a 10 out of 10 from me.
It’s quiet too. Noise is one of the things you should definitely look out for look out for when buying an air purifier. Unless like my son you need white noise to help you sleep. Luckily briiv sits well against its competitors and is one of the quieter air filters on the market. It’s also incredibly cheap to run too. If you use briiv for six hours a day, it will only cost you £2.02 a year (yes, you heard me right) to run. Now come on, that’s impressive.
And as if it’s not already clever enough it comes with its own app too if you prefer the hands free approach. You literally pair your briiv with your phone where not only can you operate it, including changing the fan speed or using the 1 hour super clean function but you can also set a daily timer for it too. Telling it when to switch on and turn off again. But even better than that it gives you real time data on the quality of your filters too. Letting you know when they need replacing. Now how clever is that?? And when it’s time to change them it’s as simple as lifting them out, throwing them on the compost heap and dropping new ones in.
briiv the natural and sustainable air filter you need to know about a conclusion
In the end this is not just about clean air. It’s also about telling brands what we want from them too. So by choosing to buy plant based products over traditional plastic products we are directly influencing how products will be created in the future. We are using our consumer voices for the greater good. And in doing so encouraging other brands to strive for an environmental identity similar to our own. So here’s to briiv, a new and innovative product that’s paving the way in sustainable design.
If you’re looking for a natural and sustainable air filter you need to know about briiv. Not only is it beautiful but it’s also nothing like any other air filter on the market. So harness the power of plants like me with your very own mini forest too. You really won’t be disappointed I promise.
NB. Although ‘briiv the natural and sustainable air filter you need to know about’ is a sponsored post all words, thoughts and opinions are my own.
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