These days, the idea of being clean goes well beyond standard hygiene. Airsign, a newly launched home products company, takes this very seriously. Its first product, a compact HEPA vacuum cleaner, is not only high-performing, but sustainably made as well. The brainchild of the New York-based designer Joseph Guerra of Guerra Office (formerly known as Visibility Studio), Airsign is committed to creating products that are designed beautifully and function better while using as few resources as possible.
Airsign’s reimagining of the humble vacuum cleaner features a powerful HEPA-14 filter with charcoal, so that it catches 99.995 per cent of particles over 0.3 microns, states the company, making it one of the most powerful vacuums on the market. Designed to be repairable and built to last, the vacuum also boasts a 1200W motor, giving it 250 air watts of suction, which in layman’s terms means it’s strong enough to power an electric scooter and will get what most other vacuums won’t.
The cleaner has also been equipped with a sealed system to prevent particles from escaping the machine – a common problem with other units. Combined with a four-layer filtration system – dust bag, pre-motor filter, HEPA-14 filter and charcoal filter – it actually cleans the air while you vacuum.
Airsign’s vacuum is made from 20 per cent recycled plastic. It’s also been designed to assemble and disassemble without the use of glue or snap fits, so that it can be repaired without any wasteful discardment. This sustainable ethos extends to the compostable, biodegradable air bags it comes with, as well as the use of recycled aluminium for its handle and wand. Made without glue, paint or co-moulded parts, it's easily recyclable. Even the HEPA filter replacements are mostly plant-based.
Armed with a five-year warranty, Airsign’s design is also game-changing on the price front. Available at a comparatively modest $295, the distinctly utilitarian unit, in a matt black finish, even boasts an unobtrusive footprint. Designed for city living, the compact machine packs away neatly and weighs in at just under 11lb (5kg). It doesn’t scrimp on the bells and whistles either. Equipped with a telescopic wand, brush tool, crevice tool and multi-floorhead, this could quite possibly be the last vacuum cleaner you will ever own.
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