Washington, D.C.—The Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program announced that Mohawk’s SmartStrand portfolio with Pur-Ease technology earned the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification as the first treated carpet product to meet the program’s requirements under its enhanced textile flooring standard.
The evaluation framework is designed to assess defined, measurable performance endpoints for products making specific allergen-related technology claims under controlled laboratory conditions.
The Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program, a collaborative initiative between the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), helps consumers identify products that contribute to a healthier indoor environment.
“Consumers with allergies and asthma need a multicomponent approach to improving their indoor living environments,” said Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of AAFA. “It is exciting to announce this new innovative solution that has demonstrated it reduces allergens.”
Products undergo rigorous independent testing to meet scientific standards established by the program. These standards require products to reduce or capture allergens and/or common airway irritants.
The program evaluated the SmartStrand with Pur-Ease carpet styles under its ASP:05-03 Textile Flooring Standard. The standard and its recently introduced addendum, establishes a structured, performance-based pathway for evaluating carpet products that incorporate substantiated allergen-related technologies.
“Innovation at Mohawk has always been about more than just creating beautiful, durable products,” said Joe Semaan, president of residential carpet of Mohawk. “It is about improving the way people live. Earning the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification for our SmartStrand carpet with Pur-Ease technology delivers on that promise by using natural probiotics to reduce certain common household allergens such as pet dander, pollen and dust mite allergen. This certification validates our commitment to flooring solutions that truly make a difference.”
Results showed that the carpets:
- Significantly reduce and remove allergens – lowering levels of common allergens such as pollen, pet dander and dust mite allergens by at least 75%, while also reducing allergens trapped within the carpet fibers by at least 50%, compared to untreated carpets
- Do not release allergens into the air – ensuring airborne allergen levels remain stable during use
- Support a healthier indoor environment – maintaining safe levels of airborne microbes and beneficial bacteria
- Meet strict indoor air quality standards – with low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) both shortly after installation (24 hours) and over time (14 days)
- Perform safely in real-life conditions – maintaining air quality during normal use and routine cleaning
“We are pleased to welcome Mohawk to the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program and congratulate them on this achievement,” said John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards Ltd. “This announcement reflects the reality that novel technologies in textiles, home furnishings and floor coverings are continually being developed and therefore warrant objective, performance-based assessment. Our standards are designed to ensure that allergen-related claims are evaluated using rigorous, transparent methods grounded in science.”
The introduction of a performance-based pathway for treated carpet technologies reflects ongoing advances in materials science and growing demand for independently verified information regarding product performance in indoor environments. By focusing on measurable outcomes rather than marketing terminology, the Certification Program provides a transparent framework for evaluating defined allergen-related performance claims.