Airlite®: Air-purifying, antimicrobial coating
We introduced Airlite® in our Winter 2024 runway collection, coating two iconic Stella McCartney Falabella Tiny tote bags handcrafted vegan materials. This pioneering innovation means these accessories are not only kinder animals, but people and planet – actively purifying the air from pollutants, bacteria and moulds.
What is Airlite®?
Airlite® is an innovative and environmentally friendly coating that actively purifies the air and eliminates odours. Copying nature to break down pollutants, it acts as a catalyst rather than absorbing or filtering them out. It’s made with 40% recycled materials in a factory powered entirely by renewable energy and contributes to all major certification schemes, such as BREEAM, LEED and WELL.
How does Airlite® work?
Airlite® uses semiconductor technology to generate an electrical charge on surfaces. Acting as a catalyst, the coating mimics nature and lightning which cleans the atmosphere during storms. These electrical charges combine with the water vapour and oxygen in the air to generate negative ions that neutralise 90% of air pollutants and break down 99% of bacteria, moulds and viruses, once they meet the surface of the Falabella bag – rather than absorbing or filtering them out.
Why is Airlite® good for the planet?
Airlite® has an extremely low carbon footprint, between 62% and 76% less than that of conventional coating. The coating actively breaks down NO2 to purify the air by reducing pollution and toxins and is naturally antimicrobial, killing bacteria on the surface of whatever it coats and degrading viral proteins. Among the greenhouse gases and pollutants Airlite® eliminates are nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), VOCs and fine dust (PM 10 and PM 2.5).
Why are greenhouse gases bad for the environment?
Fossil fuels are the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 90% of all CO2 emissions.
Greenhouse gas emissions blanket the earth and trap the sun’s heat, which leads to global warming and climate change. Our planet is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Over time, this increase in temperature is changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature – posing many risks to not only human beings, but to all forms of life on earth.
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