Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program Unveils New Branding to Enhance Consumer Awareness
The Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program has unveiled a rebranded Certification Mark, providing a clear sign of science-backed products that help create healthier indoor environments through rigorous testing and consumer empowerment.
Everything You Need to Know About Certification
The facts about the program
Many products promise to help control allergens. But some products make false or exaggerated claims. This makes it hard for consumers to know the best products to buy.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America joined with Allergy Standards Limited to create the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program. This program helps people make informed purchases for a healthier home. We test household products against strict standards. If products pass our tests, they earn the Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® mark.
Indoor air pollution is made up of small particles in the air and airborne allergens like pet dander and dust mite debris. Air cleanerspollution. must effectively remove and trap air
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and furnace filters are vital to control the indoor climate. Air filters must effectively remove and trap air pollution.
You spend one-third of your time in the bedroom. So using Certified products to reduce your exposure to allergens and irritants in that space is an important part of an environmental control plan.
Cleaning products can have harmful chemicals that worsen indoor air quality. Certified products meet strict standards for ingredients and their appropriate levels in the product.
To reduce growth of mold and dust mites, a home should be kept at a humidity level below 50%.
Some flooring and installation materials (e.g. adhesives) are potential sources of allergens and irritants. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) must remain below safe levels after installation in order to be Certified.
Homes in dry climates may need a humidifier to maintain humidity between 40-50%. But Certified humidifiers must sanitize the water during use to prevent mold growth.
Certified fiberglass must be resistant to mold growth. During installation, the concentration of dust, airborne fiber and particle counts must not exceed our standards.
Certified washing machines, tumble dryers and steam cleaners are proven through lab testing to reduce allergens that can collect on washable items, such as sheets, pillows, comforters, clothing, rugs and small plush toys.
In order for a paint to become Certified, strict standards for appropriate levels must be met for physical performance, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and allergenic and sensitizing chemicals must be as low as possible or non-existent.
Window mounted pollen screens are designed to allow ventilation, while removing the burden of pollen particles moving from outdoors into the indoor environment.
To assess cleaning services, we compare surface allergens before and after the cleaning; monitor airborne allergens before, during and after the cleaning; and test moisture levels in the carpet and relative humidity before and 24 hours after the cleaning.
Certified toys must be easily cleaned to remove allergens like dust mites, withstand recommended cleaning techniques, keep color and not bleed from rubbing or saliva, contain no chemicals known to trigger asthma and allergy responses.
If you have carpet, vacuuming once a week is important for minimizing allergens and irritants. Certified vacuums must meet strict standards to remove surface allergens and reduce exposure to airborne dust particles and allergens.
Air cleaning devices installed in the ductwork of houses with central forced air can affect air throughout the home. Certified whole home air cleaners meet our standards to remove, and not redistribute, airborne allergens.
What Happens When Certification Meets Impact?
From Certified product launches to educational video series, the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program marked Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month with real-world impact, bringing clarity to healthy indoor choices and confidence to consumers.
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month: Healthier Workplaces Start with Healthier Air
As we mark Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, it's time to rethink how we support health at work. Indoor air quality (IAQ) plays a vital role in employee well-being, affecting everything from respiratory health to cognitive performance. This article explores how Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® products can help improve IAQ, reduce absenteeism, and support more productive, inclusive workplaces.
Breathe Better, Learn Better with Better Indoor Air Quality in Schools
Children spend over 1,000 hours in school each year, and the air they breathe during that time affects their health, focus, and future. From VOCs and mold to poorly ventilated spaces, poor IAQ can impair learning and increase absenteeism. This article explores simple, evidence-based strategies using Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® products to help create healthier classrooms and better learning outcomes.
Creating a Healthier Home: The Role of Certified Insulation in Indoor Air Quality
Discover how Certified insulation supports better indoor air quality by reducing allergens, VOCs, and mold risk.
What Is AAFA’s Involvement With the Certification Program?
AAFA is the oldest and largest nonprofit patient organization for asthma and allergies in the world.
AAFA’s mission is to save lives and reduce the burden of disease for people with asthma and allergies through support, advocacy, education and research. The Certification Program is important to AAFA because it helps consumers identify products that will help control environmental exposure to allergens and asthma irritants. AAFA’s role in the program is three-fold:
- AAFA’s medical advisors and board of directors review and approve the standards developed for the Certification Program
- AAFA teaches about environmental control of allergens and irritants and indoor air quality
- AAFA advocates for healthier home policies
What Is ASL’s Involvement With the Certification Program?
ASL is an independent, global certification company.
ASL believes consumers with asthma and allergies should be able to easily identify products they can trust. ASL’s role in the Certification Program is three-fold:
- ASL’s management team possess specialist skills in a variety of medical fields including asthma and allergic diseases. They use this expertise to develop independent standards for testing a wide range of products.
- ASL works with independent labs around the world to test products.
- ASL certifies only the products that meet the strict standards of the certification mark.
Healthier Home Initiative
About Allergy Standards Science
Certification Program Overview