White curtains in front of stalks of wheat.
Courtesy Ikea

These New Ikea Curtains Literally Create Fresh Air

By Aileen Kwun
May 30, 2020
1 minute read

When it released its air-purifying Gunrid curtains earlier this year, the Swedish big-box furniture giant Ikea made a compelling argument for dressing up your windows: “Air is a precondition for life.” While clean air has long been an issue of global concern, as we soon enter the fourth month of this pandemic, that quippy selling point couldn’t have felt more eerily prescient or urgently spot-on. The floor-length curtains, while ordinary in appearance, are coated with an innovative mineral that Ikea first teased last year, noting that it has been years in the making. Activated by both outdoor and indoor light, harnessing a process similar to the way plants photosynthesize in nature, this engineered photo-catalyst coating works to break down common air pollutants and odors. It’s a high-tech breakthrough for a pleasantly low-tech solution, and one that is made entirely of recycled materials, requires no electricity, takes up little to no floor space—and, best of all, is even touted as self-cleaning. Add this to your army of indoor plants to keep the air quality of your home pure and fresh.