Air Wearables: How AirPop Is Redefining Respiratory Protection
From industrial masks to design-forward wearables — the evolution of an entire product category, and where it's headed next.
When AirPop was founded in 2015, the respiratory protection market looked very different. Products were designed for industrial workers, healthcare professionals, or construction sites — functional but far from consumer-friendly. We saw an opportunity to create something fundamentally different: respiratory protection designed with the same care and attention as consumer electronics.
The Birth of a Category
We coined the term "Air Wearables" to describe a new category of products that combine advanced filtration technology with consumer-grade design, comfort, and aesthetics. The idea was simple but ambitious: respiratory protection should be something you want to wear, not something you have to wear.
“Respiratory protection should be something you want to wear, not something you have to wear.”
— AirPop founding principle
Design-Led Innovation
Every AirPop product starts with human-centered design. Our 3D Aerodome structure was inspired by architectural principles, creatinga dome of clean air in front of your mouth and nose rather than pressing filter material flat against your face. This seemingly simple insight delivered 2x the breathability of standard N95 masks while maintaining >99% filtration.
Six international design awards, includingRed Dot, iF Design, and Good Design — validated this approach. But awards are not the goal. The goal is making products that people actually use consistently, because the best respiratory protection is the one you wear every time you need it.
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A Decade of Iteration
The AirPop Light SE, our current flagship, is the product of seven complete design revisions and over 2,000 hours of wear testing. Each revision refined the seal, improved the ear loop adjustment, optimized the filter media layering, and enhanced the overall comfort. This iterative approach — uncommon in the respiratory protection industry — is standard practice in consumer electronics. We apply the same discipline.
What Comes Next
The Air Wearables category is just getting started. We are developing next-generation products that integrate air quality sensing, personalized fit optimization, and sustainable materials. The vision remains the same as it was in 2015: make breathing better for everyone, everywhere. The technology just keeps getting better.
Every product we make is tested to the highest global standards. We publish our test results openly because we believe transparency builds trust.
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