Dutch designer Marcel Wanders revamps the air pollution mask

As Western consumers become more aware of the risks to health of pollution, there is a growing demand for products that help prevent the inhalation of toxins. Marcel Wanders has designed a woollen mask that uses responsibly sourced materials manufactured in a sustainable way.

‘We created a mask out of a material that doesn’t add to the problem it is trying to solve, the pollution problem,’ says Wanders.

The mask has been designed for daily use and filters 97% of harmful pollutants while still allowing users to breathe easily. Each mask can be re-used from 15 to 45 times, depending on pollution levels.

While pollution masks have been popular in Asia for some time, there is still a stigma in the West because they block certain facial expressions and can therefore be perceived as intimidating.