Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow: Frequently Asked Questions
The Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow is Airmid Healthgroup’s direct allergen filtration testing method for bedding, textiles, and household appliance filters. The following answers common questions from manufacturers and retailers about how the test works, what it measures, and what to expect from an engagement. For service enquiries, contact our team directly.
What is the Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow?
The test uses dust samples containing a known, measured concentration of allergen, drawn across the test fabric under controlled airflow. A filter located downstream collects any allergen that passes through. This is then extracted and quantified using an ELISA kit specific to each allergen type. Results give manufacturers and retailers a precise, reproducible allergen filtration efficiency figure — expressed as a percentage — that can be cited directly in product labelling and marketing claims.
Why use the Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow instead of thread count or pore size?
Pore size and thread count only loosely correlate with allergen filtration efficacy. Van der Waals forces and allergen conformation both significantly influence whether an allergen particle passes through a fabric, independently of pore geometry. A fabric with a high thread count may also be poorly constructed, allowing allergen passage that pore size measurement would not detect.
When a textile claims to be an allergen barrier, it is asserting it can block specific allergen particles:
Cat allergen
Fel d 1 — <10µm
Among the smallest and most penetrating common allergens
Dust mite allergen
Der p 1 — 10–40µm
Mite fecal pellets, primary trigger in dust mite-related asthma
The Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow uses house dust with a known concentration of both Der p 1 and Fel d 1 — making it a direct, biologically relevant measure of a fabric’s allergen barrier effectiveness against the allergens that matter most clinically.
What type of fabrics can you test?
The Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow can analyse polyester, cotton, poly:cotton, and microfibres, as well as prototype fabrics made from novel components. Any element of the fabric construction can be assessed — including seams, cross seams, and zips — which is important for encasement products where construction quality is as critical as fabric performance.
There is no universally “best” fabric type for allergen barrier performance — the type of material and the quality of its construction create significant variability between products at similar price points. The test can also evaluate the allergen barrier characteristics of vacuum bags and filters used in household appliances.
For information on testing specific product types, see our claims verification services.
Why do you measure airflow as part of the test?
A fabric can have a small pore size and strong allergen barrier performance, yet still be unsuitable for consumer use if airflow or moisture permeability is inadequate. Poor breathability directly affects comfort physiology and patient compliance — both of which influence whether an allergy sufferer will actually use the product consistently. By measuring airflow alongside allergen filtration efficiency, the test captures both dimensions of performance that determine real-world product quality.
What quality control measures are used?
Every test run at Airmid Healthgroup uses two control fabrics, both subjected to the complete analytical procedure:
Positive control
A routinely used reference fabric. The test fabric’s performance is expressed relative to this control, providing a consistent benchmark across all results.
Negative control
An effective allergen barrier (100% blocking). Used to confirm that no external contamination has affected the test procedure. This data is not reported in client results.
Both control fabrics, with their known airflow values, are also used to calibrate the airflow device before each test run begins.
What units are reported?
Results are reported in two formats:
Allergen recovery
Nanograms (ng)
Total allergen recovered on the downstream filter — the quantity of allergen-bearing particles that passed through the fabric
Filtration efficiency
Percentage (%)
Allergen passage prevention compared to the laboratory positive control — the figure used in labelling and marketing claims
Airflow through the fabric is measured and reported in litres per minute (L/min).
What are the detection limits of the test?
The allergen recovered from an effective barrier fabric — or the negative control — is typically below the limit of detection (LOD) of the ELISA. The LOD is 4ng for Der p 1 and 2ng for Fel d 1, based on a standard volume of extraction buffer. Results at or below these thresholds represent complete or near-complete allergen barrier performance.
What is your turnaround time?
Standard turnaround time is 15 working days from sample receipt. A project plan confirming the specific timeline for your engagement is provided when your sample arrives at Airmid Healthgroup.
Airmid Healthgroup · Allergen Barrier Testing
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