Briiv: A Sustainable Revolution in Air Purification

James Whitfield and Sean Sykes Redefine Air Purification with Biodegradable Materials

The inspiration behind Briiv stemmed from the realization that air purification was dominated by unsustainable materials like plastics and glass. Whitfield and Sykes sought to create a more eco-friendly solution, incorporating bioplastics and renewable materials into Briiv's design. The result is an air purifier that not only delivers clean air but also respects the planet and its resources.

Briiv stands out for its unique properties. It uses an innovative filter system comprising moss, coconut husk, and a silk-carbon matrix. These filters perform as effectively as those in other low-power air purifiers, but with the added advantage of being compostable. Briiv also integrates with smart home applications, allowing users to control the device and monitor filter usage.

The realization of Briiv involved the use of Vibers' elephant-grass based bio-plastic polymer for the base and filter housing. The filter media, chosen for their biodegradable traits, include moss, coconut, and a silk-carbon matrix. The device stands at 220mm high and 160mm wide, weighing just 900g. It can be operated via a smartphone app or a touchless interface on the unit itself, a feature added in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

The design process for Briiv began in late 2018 and was launched on Kickstarter in April 2019. It continues to crowdfund on Indiegogo and has already started receiving wholesale orders globally. The primary goal of the project was to reduce waste from HEPA filters, commonly found in most air purifiers. By replacing these with biodegradable filter media, Briiv not only reduces landfill waste but also conserves finite resources like crude oil. The effectiveness of the filter media was determined using air quality monitors for inflow and outflow of air mixed with common particulate matter.

One of the main challenges faced in the design process was stratifying the filter media to maintain airflow through the unit and provide a clean air delivery rate comparable to HEPA competitors. Despite these challenges, Briiv emerged as a new and innovative take on air purifiers, offering a sustainable solution to clean air delivery. The design rights, trademarks, and patents for Briiv are currently pending.