Sustainable Air Purifier Outperforms House Plants by 70X with Mini-Forest Technology

Ty Emerald
By Ty Emerald
All images courtesy of Briiv.

Jumping headfirst into the realm of air purification, the Briiv Pro isn’t your average air purifier.

Born in 2020 from a realization of worsening air quality and the highly publicized downfall of the Brookstone air purifier that turned out to be a scam coupled with the general ineffectiveness of traditional purifying methods, this eco-friendly purifier, took a very different approach.

The Briiv Pro, blends nature and technology. It’s not just an air purifier; it’s a ‘mini forest’ capable of purifying a 172 square foot room (or 16 square meters) in 21 minutes. That’s a staggering, 6,900% more effective than relying on houseplants alone.

Designers Sean Sykes and James Whitfield wanted to move beyond the small home appliance tower that most of us know as a home purifier. They wanted to incorporate plants, so they designed a tabletop terrarium, with its glass container revealing a micro-forest.

That little forest isn’t just for looks, not in their design. It mimics a real forest’s air purification process.

The secret lies in its unique filtration system – a combination of moss, coconut fiber, and a silk nanofiber matrix with activated carbon. This trio tackles a wide range of pollutants, including pet dander, pollen, smoke, and even the volatile organic compounds from cooking.

Smoke Test

The functionality is rooted in nature – purifying air just like leaves and soil do in a forest. The process begins with air passing through the moss and coco fiber, trapping pollen, pet fur, and neutralizing odors.

Next, a medical-grade silk nanofiber filter, 98% plastic-free, captures even finer particulate matter. The result? Purified air is gently dispersed in a 360° radius, ensuring your living space is refreshed with clean air.

Now for the tech.

The Briiv Pro has smart sensors that detect air quality changes, activating the purifier autonomously. Imagine a network of these purifiers communicating, ensuring clean air throughout your home. 

Plus, with its Zen Mode, you can create an interconnected system of purifiers for comprehensive air quality management for larger spaces.

Sykes and Whitfield didn’t just create an air purifier; they reimagined it. They tested the boundaries of sustainability, crafting a product where every component is either reusable or recyclable

The moss filter, washable and indefinitely reusable, offers a personal touch as you can choose or even use your own moss. The silk nanofiber filter, needing replacement every few months, is 98% plastic-free, in contrast to the nearly all plastic used in today’s HEPA filters.

It’s also extremely energy efficient.

Consuming only 0.005kWh per hour compared to the industry average of 20 kilowatts per hour, on the lowest setting, that traditional air purifiers consume.

Of course, the Briiv Pro has built-in sensors and a smartphone app that tracks air quality in real-time. Now personally, I don’t much see the point to those bells and whistles, especially when it requires additional hardware built into the device. While I realize that many consumers want the enhanced features that often accompany marketing buzzwords like “smart”, I generally feel that less is more when it comes to sustainability.

That said, it’s a smart eco-friendly design for an air purifier. It merges nature and technology.

A Kickstarter Success Story

In total, the newest version of the Briiv Pro has raised over $260,000 on Kickstarter, with most consumers voicing their desire for cleaner air sustainably. Whenever a sustainable product design strikes a chord with thousands of people, it’s a win for the environment and will encourage more designers to try their talented hand at eco-friendly development and design.

Designer: Briiv

Based in Great Britain, Briiv was founded by Sean Sykes and James Whitfield.

“By choosing to buy plant based products over traditional plastic products, you are directly influencing how products will be created for future generations.”

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