Our September 2026 Client Town Hall covered IAQ trends, the science behind our standards, and real partner success stories.
This September, the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program brought its certified partner and agency community together for our latest Client Town Hall. The session was organized by Leah McInerney, Senior Client Success Manager alongside Gemma Cox, Junior Client Success Manager.
We built the agenda around the topics our partners told us mattered most: indoor air quality (IAQ) trends, the science behind our standards, and real partner success stories. Here is a look at what we covered, including two client spotlights from Mohawk andAlen.
Who Joined Us
Over 50 minutes, we welcomed 29 participating clients from 14 certified partners: 3M, Alen, Benjamin Moore, Blueair, Kleenex, Knauf, Mohawk, Rabbit Air, Renegade Brands, Rexair, SIJO, Tarkett, Trane Technologies and True Value.
We were also delighted to be joined by four of our agency partners: Ampersand Agency, K2Forma, Mower and Olmstead Williams Communications.
The Year in Review
Leah opened the Town Hall with a look at where the Program has got to in 2026, starting with our new certifications. Mohawk SmartStrand® Carpet Styles enhanced with Pur-Ease™ Technology became the world’s first Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified treated carpet, independently tested against ASL’s Textile Flooring Standard and its new addendum for emerging carpet technologies.The Anker eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E35 also joined the Program, with certification announced at IFA Berlin in September.
Between January and September 2026, earned media secured with our PR partner SPARKS generated more than 2.3 billion impressions across over 90 placements in national consumer and trade outlets. Of those article placements, 67% included key quotes from Certification Program experts. Five podcast episodes featuring certified partners LG Electronics, Mohawk and Benjamin Moore reached a combined audience of more than 3.07 million listeners.
Representatives from Knauf North America, the Chicago Asthma Consortium, and the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program with 300 packed Resource Tote Bags, 2026 CHW Educational Forum, Chicago, May 21, 2026.
We were also out in market with our partners throughout the year. At IBS/KBIS 2026, we supported clients on the show floor and spoke on a panel about the importance of third-party certification. At the Do It Best / True Value Spring Market, we supported clients at market and ran an educational training session for buying and retail teams. At AAAAI 2026, a strong display of certified products showed clinicians why managing the home environment matters, and in May we teamed up with the Chicago Asthma Consortium to advance community asthma education at this year’s Community Health Worker Forum.
During Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month in May, Sharnell Weathersby, Senior Brand Manager, Kleenex® Air Filters at Kimberly-Clark, received our Community Impact & Leadership Award. Under Sharnell’s leadership, Kleenex® Elite Allergen Air Filters earned Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification, and the team went on to donate a year’s supply of certified filters to 200 families nationwide through the Chicago Asthma Consortium, AAFA’s HEAL program and Habitat for Humanity ReStores.
Awareness Month also saw the launch of our May marketing pack, built from a client survey on what partners would find most useful, alongside a full suite of educational articles for each certified category and several client webinars. Partners also put the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s (AAFA) Allergy Capitals and Asthma Capitals reports to work across social and educational activity, and we were proud to see certified partners recognized in the September Asthma Capitals report for their community impact.
Dr. John McKeon, CEO of ASL, then led two sessions for partners: the latest industry and IAQ trends, and an update on scientific innovation and the standards that underpin certification.
Client Spotlight: Mohawk
Leah McInerney and Gemma Cox with the Mohawk Industries team, highlighting Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified SmartStrand® carpet
Our first spotlight welcomed Denise Silbert, Vice President of Marketing for Soft Surfaces at Mohawk Industries. Mohawk joined the Program at the start of 2026, with its certification announced in April.
Changing the Conversation About Carpet
For Denise, the journey to certification began around a decade ago, when she first explored carpet innovations with Airmid Healthgroup.
“The challenge that we kept running into was the stigma associated with carpet and the widespread belief that carpet was bad for people with allergies, even within the medical community.”
“I never really let go of the belief that carpet could be a part of the solution, not considered a problem.”
The belief that carpet could play a more positive role in home comfort inspired Mohawk to seek independent testing:
“We wanted to make sure that we had independent science-backed validation to prove it … so that we could put that old stigma to rest.”
Denise noted that this focus reaches well beyond her own team, explaining that the wider organization will keep “being very focused on wellness going forward” and that “we do recognize that indoor air quality is very important to our consumer base.”
Bringing Certification to Life
Mohawk is working with its retail partners to bring certified products to life in store, through high-visibility displays and storytelling across media.
“Certification gives us a really powerful proof point, and so kind of making sure that we are maximizing that as much as possible, so it’s visible and can be a part of the conversation.”
With tens of thousands of retail sales associates helping consumers make decisions, Denise sees certification as a confidence builder on the shop floor:
“Being able to give them the confidence to say, ‘Have you considered this carpet? It’s certified to help,’ will be a key part of the conversation.”
Early Wins
Carpet is a mature category, and Denise shared that the certified product line is performing ahead of the wider market:
“To be up double digits in a down market is pretty compelling.”
Advice for Brands Considering Certification
Denise was clear that certification is a commitment. Mohawk’s R&D team worked on the technology for around three years before approaching Airmid and ASL.
“Really do it for the right reasons.”
“I think for us it forced more rigor, but also the benefit of that is building trust with our customers, making sure that it’s not just some gimmicky, you know, solution, but something that’s credible and that’s long-lasting.”
Her closing advice was simple: “just go for it.”
Client Spotlight: Alen
Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® BreatheSmart 35i, 45i, and 75i Air Purifiers from Alen
Our second spotlight featured Jonathan Polland, Marketing and Product Project Manager at Alen, which has now been part of the Program for around 15 months.
A Partnership That Has Matured
Jonathan highlighted the launch of the BreatheSmart 25i air purifier as a turning point. Alen already had certified air purifiers, but the 25i was the first new product it launched with certification in place.
“The 25i was the first time we launched a brand new product with the certification in place from day one, and it felt like a real important evolution in our partnership. Instead of the certification being something we added to an existing product, it was part of the 25i story from the get go, and part of how we introduced it to customers.”
He also credited the collaboration with the ASL team:
“From the beginning, you’ve been incredibly collaborative, helpful in making sure we understood what the certification represents and how to communicate it responsibly.”
Why Third-Party Validation Matters
On the decision to expand Alen’s certified portfolio, Jonathan was clear:
“We believe really strongly in third-party validation … that’s exactly why independent validation is valuable.”
“Having that certification represented across more of our offerings allows that independent validation to be relevant to more of those customers.”
For Jonathan, the partnership has always felt substantive, and “not just simply having a badge and checking a box.”
Where Certification Resonates
Speaking directly with customers has shown Jonathan how they see certification:
“They’re thinking about whether they can trust a product to bring it into their home, and it’s added that credibility and a level of confidence, particularly for people who are thinking about asthma, allergies, or even the air their family is breathing.”
Looking ahead, he sees education as the biggest opportunity:
“I think there’s a tremendous opportunity around education and storytelling.”
“When we combine those perspectives, there’s an opportunity to take a pretty complicated topic and make it feel a lot simpler.”
What’s Next for the Program
Leah closed with a look at what is coming up:
Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month: partner marketing packs, ready for social content throughout October.
Website redesign: our new website launches in October.
U.S. trade mission: in-person check-ins with partners, and an on-site presence at Greenbuild.
AAP Conference, San Diego: showcasing certification to the pediatrics community in October.
Client Survey and Awards Feature: returning after last year’s success, celebrating partners’ award-winning portfolios.
New launches: exciting certifications to look out for in the coming weeks.
Thank you to every partner and agency who joined us. Our partners are central to the success of the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program, and we look forward to the next Town Hall.