Smart Air announced the launch of the world’s most cost-effective purifier and its latest air purifier at a launch event in Beijing, China on September 17th.
Smart Air – a Beijing-based social enterprise using open data and simple, effective air purifiers to combat the health effects of air pollution – presented the air purifier, which boasts a sleek European look and low noise levels to a gathering of supporters, partners, and media.
The Story of a World-Changing Air Purifier
Speaking at the event, Smart Air CEO Paddy Robertson said “The Sqair has been designed from the ground up to provide the best bang for your buck out of any air purifier.” Costing less than $100, The Sqair is suitable for up to 40sqm rooms, pumps out a CADR of 315m3/hr, and has lower noise levels than major purifiers currently on the market.
The elegant design and its European Beech wood legs give it a warm, homely feeling—a real step up for the bootstrap maker of DIY purifiers. Despite the departure from ultra-low-cost and ultra-basic DIY air purifiers, the common thread is that it “instantiates Smart Air’s ethos of simple, no-nonsense purifiers that cut out the useless gimmicks that weigh down most purifiers,” added Robertson. Robertson believes The Sqair will lead a revolution in the air purifier market, making clean air even more affordable to the 91% of the world who breathe polluted air, according to WHO statistics.
The Sqair comes in two versions. The Standard version with HEPA filter captures PM2.5, pollen, mould and bacteria. The ‘Chemical Warfare’ version packs an additional carbon filter for filtering out chemicals such as formaldehyde, VOCs and odors. All are available through Smart Air’s international online store.
One of China’s First Social Enterprises
Thomas Talhelm, founder of Smart Air and associate professor at the University of Chicago explained how Smart Air started from a personal desire to make clean air accessible. “When I started Smart Air back as a grad student, I saw that the market already had tons of companies trying to rip people off for overpriced air purifiers. The world doesn’t need another luxury purifier brand.”
To that end, Smart Air has grown from a bedroom DIY project into a certified B Corp and one of China’s first certified social enterprises. “We’re using this social model to raise awareness on air pollution issues and drive change in the air purifier industry. The Sqair is just the next step in this—questioning what a purifier should be,” added Talhelm.
Partnership with French Supermarket Chain Auchan
Smart Air also announced their partnership with Auchan, the 11th largest food retailing group in the world with a presence in 17 countries. Auchan who will distribute The Sqair under the Qilive brand in all their countries.
Auchan Product Development Manager Matthieu Richard said Auchan “shares the same aims and values as Smart Air and is proud to have developed a product with a certified social enterprise for the very first time.” The Sqair is the result of combined work from Smart Air’s British engineering team and Auchan’s French design team.
Reducing Waste, Cutting Plastic, and Expanding Clean Air
Also presenting at the event was The Bulk House, a Beijng-based zero-waste social enterprise. The Bulk House head Joe Harvey explained how Smart Air approached him to work on reducing plastic from The Sqair’s packaging.
After three months of work with suppliers and with The Bulk House’s experience in waste reduction, The Sqair now boasts 99% plastic-free packaging. Smart Air hopes other air purifier companies can follow their example of reducing the impact of packaging on the environment.
Smart Air’s Global Expansion
Smart Air rounded up the event by explaining their vision of growing its clean air movement to more countries around the world. Smart Air’s international teams from India, Mongolia and the Philippines were present at the event, showing Smart Air’s ever-growing role in bringing clean air and open data to more air-breathers in need. “The Sqair will be a game changer for Indian air breathers. A simple, cost-effective air purifier has been lacking in the market for a long time” explained Smart Air India Head, Dhariyash Rathod.
The Sqair is already available in much of Asia and Europe thanks to their partnership in Europe, Smart Air hopes to make the Sqair and simple, no-nonsense clean air available in 50 countries by the end of the year.
The Sqair ships September 17th, 2019 in Smart Air stores in China, India, Mongolia, and the Philippines, as well as via Smart Air’s partner in Thailand.
More info: smartairfilters.com
