Catalytic Clothing

Catalytic Clothing is a fashionably calm technology that aims to tackle air pollution by embedding a substance in the clothing that purifies air when you wear it.

The purifying effect is established by treating clothes with a photo-catalyst that is able to break down air borne pollutants from industry and motor vehicles. This photo-catalyst can simply be added to your clothing in a normal laundry procedure.

It almost all sounds too good to be true, until you read that a significant reduction in the level of air borne pollutants in a large city such as London will only be achieved if, for every meter of pavement width, 30 people wearing catalytic clothes walked past each minute – unsure if you can still breathe in such a crowded space.

Nonetheless we must applaud the symbolic power of the concept. And luckily, the photo-catalyst can also be added to paints, cements and paving stones.

The Catalytic Clothing project is a collaboration between artist/designer Helen Storey and chemist Tony Ryan. Thanks Kat Chan.