RepAir: Cleaning the air with a T-shirt

Italian start-up Kloters developed a unisex T-shirt called RepAir, made from organic cotton, containing an insert made of air-cleaning fabric.

Indoors or outdoors, we are continuously breathing in bad air. The impact of air pollution and the consequences for our health are becoming more and more evident.

In order to combat air pollution, one T-shirt at the time, Kloters developed a genderless T-shirt that absorbs various pollutants. It’s not the T-shirt itself that is special, a simple, uni-coloured shirt made from organic cotton; it’s the special insert that is hidden in an antibacterial pocket in the chest, behind a zipper, that does the work.

The insert is made from Anemotech’s The Breath, a patented fabric, composed of three layers. The outer layers, antibacterial and printable, filter polluting molecules and bad smells, which are trapped inside the internal nano-molecules activated core. The insert neutralises various pollutants, including NOx, SOx, Ozone, Benzene, Formaldehyde, VOCs and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, as well as bad odours. These pollutants are responsible for various diseases like respiratory diseases and ocular and nasal irritations. For more about The Breath, click here.

The insert works without any external power sources; it works with the natural airflow through the pocket. The insert works for about 12 months and traps the polluting emissions of equivalent to 2 cars. New inserts will be made available though Kloters’ website. When washing and ironing the shirt, the insert has to be removed, which can be done through a zipper in the front of the shirt.

According to Kloters, the insert has the weight and consistency of thick, neoprene-like fabric. The T-shirt is produced in Italy and only uses controlled suppliers.

Currently, the T-shirt can be supported through Kickstarter.

Photos: Kloters