Rensair and The Tailoring Academy are cut from the same cloth

The Tailoring Academy, an independent training provider in Macclesfield (Cheshire, UK), is using Rensair air purification to help continue face to face teaching during the pandemic.

The academy trains students for the Level 5 Diploma in Bespoke Tailoring. Designed by the Savile Row Bespoke Association and approved by the UK Fashion and Textiles Association, it is a dual qualification at the highest standard in UK tailoring training, equipping young people with the skills to become fully rounded crafts – and business – people.

“Although we also offer online tailoring classes, nothing beats face to face when demonstrating a skilled heritage craft”, says director Brita Hirsch, who is a bespoke tailor and textile engineer. “The pandemic threatened to stop us in our tracks, so we did our research and ordered our Rensair units.”

The business is located in one of the iconic silk mills for which Macclesfield is famous. While natural ventilation is provided by plenty of windows, there is no mechanical ventilation other than a heating system in the old building. 

“As someone of German origin, I believe in ‘lüften’, keeping the air flowing”, explains Brita. “But in winter here, having the windows open has a huge impact on the heating bill and the cold affects students’ and staff’s well-being. Cleaning the air is a logical alternative and, as an engineer, I can appreciate the clever technological design behind Rensair’s unit.”

The Tailoring Academy also recognised two further major benefits. The first is that the purified air keeps the students alert for longer and able to retain more information. The second benefit is an unexpected one: the Rensair units capture wool fibres and fluff that once floated in the air and collected in corners of the room: these larger particles are caught in the pre-filters, which are easily removed for regular vacuuming.

To monitor indoor air quality, Brita invested in an AirThings sensor. “After 6 or 7 hours of training 12 people in a room, CO2 levels naturally rise. We use the reading as a proxy, alerting us should the air in the room be shared at an unhealthy level. We switch the Rensair purifiers on in the morning as we would the light switches. The particulate count, as shown by the air quality sensor, is kept in the green zone at all times, so we are reassured that the atmosphere is safe from the virus.”

“I did my due diligence on Rensair and to say that I am now attached to my air purifiers is no exaggeration”, concludes Brita. “They give us back the control we lost when we were suddenly confronted with a global pandemic. Regaining a level of normality and peace of mind is invaluable when the default state is one of permanent alarm.”