It will soon be possible to reduce common indoor air pollutants using just a curtain.

A mineral-based surface treatment enables this new curtain from IKEA to break down air pollutants when it comes in contact with light.

Air pollution is a global issue and particularly problematic in megacities. According to WHO, around 90% of people worldwide breathe polluted air, which is estimated to cause eight million deaths per year.

The Swedish furniture company hopes to diminish this number by producing the GUNRID air-purifying curtain.

"Besides enabling people to breathe better air at home, we hope that GUNRID will increase people's awareness of indoor air pollution, inspiring behavioral changes that contribute to a world of clean air," says Lena Pripp-Kovac, Head of Sustainability at Inter IKEA Group. "GUNRID is the first product to use the technology, but the development will give us opportunities for future applications on other textiles."

The curtain uses a technology that has been developed by IKEA suppliers in collaboration with several European and Asian universities over the course of the last few years. The process, which works similarly to photosynthesis, is activated by both outdoor and indoor light.