AAFA's asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program

May was a busy month for us, and we wanted to take a moment to look back at everything we were involved in for National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month 2026.

From educational content and expert webinars to community events and in-person partner meetings, it was a month that reminded us why this work matters.

Here is a snapshot of what we got up to:
📚 A full series of educational articles covering every certified product category, including a brand new article on treated carpets
🎓 Two expert webinars with our certified partners at Mohawk Flooring and Knauf North America
🤝 In-person Trade Mission meetings in Chicago with Renegade Brands Knauf North America , Kleenex and True Value
🫙 A return to the Chicago Asthma Consortium's Community Health Worker Educational Forum, where attendees helped pack 300 Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Resource Tote Bags for distribution across Chicago, with product contributions from Blueair Alen Renegade Brands Rabbit Air 3M National Allergy Sijo Live Comfortably, and Kleenex
🌍 World Asthma Day content and community engagement
📰 A published article in Building Enclosure magazine on insulation, acoustic performance, and indoor air quality

And through it all, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) was doing remarkable work of its own across the United States throughout the month.

Read the full wrap-up: https://zurl.co/0jA2x

Thank you to every partner, advocate, and community member who was part of Awareness Month 2026!

On May 21, the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program was proud to return to Chicago for the Chicago Asthma Consortium 's Community Health Worker Educational Forum, hosted at Sinai Chicago.

Alongside community health workers and asthma educators from across the city, we joined a day of training, networking, and hands-on outreach, including packing 300 Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Resource Tote Bags now making their way into schools, clinics, churches, and community centers across Chicago.

None of this happens without the generosity of our Certified partners. Thank you to Knauf North America Tim Cofran, Teagan McKitrick and team for their continued sponsorship and commitment to community asthma education, and to Alen Blueair Filtrete Kleenex , Live Comfortably, National Allergy , Rabbit Air , Renegade Brands and Sijo for their product donations, samples, and exclusive offers.

Thank you to Rachelle Paul-Brutus and the Chicago Asthma Consortium (host Karmin Wright, presenter Martha Baca-Ryan and all the fantastic panellists) for welcoming us back for a second consecutive year, and to Melissa Budisch, and Grace Wambach for their work in making the day a success.

Thank you also to Sanaz Eftekhari and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) for providing the educational materials that made those 300 tote bags possible.

More than 106 million Americans live with asthma and/or allergies. Events like this are why we do what we do.
Read the full press release: https://zurl.co/4L4lA

Strong partnerships create stronger impact.

It was great to connect recently with our partners at Renegade Brands and reflect on the progress we've made together through the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program, while also looking ahead to the opportunities on the horizon.

As consumer awareness of indoor environmental health continues to grow, we're seeing increasing interest in products that have been independently tested and certified to support healthier home environments. This is particularly true within the laundry category, where consumers are becoming more conscious of the ingredients and products they bring into their homes.

That's why we're proud to partner with Renegade Brands and support their Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified Free & Clear® laundry products — helping consumers make more informed, evidence-based choices with greater confidence.

Some of the highlights from our recent discussions included:
✅ Expanding awareness of certified Free & Clear® laundry products and their benefits for consumers living with asthma and allergies
✅ Strengthening digital education and optimization initiatives to better communicate the value of certification
✅ Exploring innovative partnerships and community-focused initiatives that improve access to healthier product choices
✅ Planning future collaboration opportunities through industry events, workshops, and educational content

What continues to stand out about the Renegade Brands team is their commitment to combining product innovation with consumer education — ensuring that certification is not just a mark on a package, but a tool that helps consumers navigate an increasingly complex marketplace.

Thank you to the entire Renegade Brands team for your continued partnership and shared commitment to healthier homes.

We're excited for what's ahead.

🇮🇪🤝🇺🇸 Collaboration across borders is helping drive healthier buildings and better indoor air quality outcomes.

During our recent Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Trade Mission to Chicago, it was fantastic to spend time with our long-standing partners at Knauf North America and reflect on the momentum we've built together over the past year.

From product certification and specification adoption to industry education and IAQ awareness, our partnership continues to demonstrate what can be achieved when manufacturers, certification bodies, and industry stakeholders work toward a shared goal.

Some of the highlights from our discussions included:
✅ Growing adoption of IAQ-focused certification language within architectural and engineering specifications
✅ Continued engagement through AIA and ASHRAE educational initiatives, supporting industry learning around healthier buildings
✅ New storytelling and awareness opportunities focused on the role building materials can play in improving indoor environmental quality
✅ Ongoing collaboration with advocacy, industry, and community partners to amplify the conversation around healthier indoor spaces

As an Irish company working with industry-leading organisations across North America, these conversations are a powerful reminder of the value of international collaboration and partnership.

A special thank you to Enterprise Ireland and David O'Flaherty for hosting us in the fantastic Chicago office space throughout the week. Having a base to connect with clients, partners, and industry stakeholders made the trade mission even more impactful.

Excited for what comes next as we continue working together to advance healthier buildings, healthier indoor environments, and greater awareness of the importance of indoor air quality.

One of the highlights of our recent Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Trade Mission to Chicago was spending time with our valued partners at Kimberly-Clark and the Kleenex team.

Since earning Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification in 2024 for their Kleenex® Elite Allergen Air Filters (MERV 12 and MERV 13), the team has demonstrated a genuine commitment to helping consumers create healthier indoor environments. As conversations around home wellness continue to grow, indoor air quality remains one of the most important — and often overlooked — factors in supporting overall wellbeing.

What continues to impress us most is that Kimberly-Clark's commitment extends beyond certified products. Through ongoing community initiatives and donations of certified air filters in Chicago and other regions across the U.S., they are helping make cleaner indoor air more accessible to families who need it most.

It was fantastic to connect in person, celebrate the progress we've made together, and begin planning for the second half of 2026. From consumer education initiatives to community impact programs, we're excited about the opportunities ahead to continue raising awareness of the role cleaner indoor air can play for people living with asthma and allergies.

Partnerships like these demonstrate what's possible when industry leaders, health advocates, and certification bodies work together toward a common goal: helping people breathe clean air at home.

Thank you to the Kimberly-Clark and Kleenex® Air Filters teams for your partnership and continued commitment to healthier indoor environments.

What if the air in your classroom or office played a bigger role in focus, attendance, and well-being than you realized?

Research suggests it does, especially for the 106 million people in the U.S. living with asthma and allergies.

This Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, our latest blog looks at the two indoor environments where Americans spend the most time, schools and workplaces, and why indoor air quality (IAQ) matters for everyone inside them.

What you'll learn:
✓ How IAQ shapes cognition, attendance, and comfort
✓ Practical, evidence-based steps to improve air at school and at work
✓ Why independent certification matters in a market full of "hypoallergenic" claims
✓ The Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified partners helping create healthier classrooms and offices

Read more: https://zurl.co/0nysE

Not all vacuum cleaners are equal.

Some capture allergens and keep them sealed inside the unit. Others move particles around the room, releasing them back into the breathing zone through poor seals or as the dust bin is emptied. For households managing asthma or allergies, that difference matters every single week.

This Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, our latest article explores how vacuums shape indoor air quality and what the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program actually tests for: at least 90% allergen pick-up from floor coverings and crevices, low airborne particle levels both during use and when emptying the receptacle, robust seal integrity, and less than 10% suction loss when the dust bin is full.

We also feature our Certified partner LG Global whose whole-home approach spans vacuums, washing machines, steam stylers, and air purifiers.

Read our full article here: https://zurl.co/HT02v

Vacuum Cleaners and Indoor Air Quality: Why Certification Wins How Choosing an Independently Certified Vacuum Cleaner Can Reduce Allergens and Support Healthier Indoor Environments May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, designated by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) since 1984 to raise awareness about the wide impact of asthma and allergi...

Three May observances with one shared thread.

Clean Air Month, National Building Safety Month, and National Home Improvement Month all have something in common: the air inside our homes.

For the 106 million Americans affected by asthma and allergies, the products in our living spaces shape what we breathe. The portable air cleaner in the bedroom. The paint on the walls. The insulation behind them.

Our latest post looks at how Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified portable air cleaners, insulation, and paints are tested against science-based standards to help improve the indoor air environment where families spend the most time.

Read the full post: https://zurl.co/pgD07

asthmaandallergyfriendly.com

"Removes 99% of allergens." "Hospital-grade filtration." "Whole-house air purification."

The HVAC and air cleaning market is full of bold claims. Independent certification is what separates marketing from measurable performance.

To earn the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification, a whole home air cleaner must demonstrate at least 70% reduction of common allergens (pollen, dust mite, cat allergen), at least 75% reduction of airborne particles in the home, ozone emissions at or below 50 ppb to meet strict safety standards, and lasting performance even after routine cleaning.

This Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, our latest article explores how whole home air cleaners shape indoor air quality across the entire home, and how Trane CleanEffects™ and American Standard's AccuClean™ deliver certified, science-backed performance.

Read our article here: https://zurl.co/RDIr5

Whole Home Air Cleaners and IAQ: Why Certification Matters How Choosing an Independently Certified Whole Home Air Cleaner Can Reduce Allergens and Support Healthier Indoor Environments May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, designated by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) since 1984 to raise awareness about the wide impact of asthma