Colorfil filters are MERV 7 equivalent, but they remove a lot more than just dust. Colorfil’s “chemisorptive” coating captures chemicals and odors at the molecular level, which regular filters cannot.

Higher MERV-rated filters generally restrict airflow more, while lower-rated filters such as glass-fiber products aren’t effective against dust or pollen. Our filters deliver a good balance for particulate filtration while also providing Colorfil’s unique chemical removal and color change. We recommend our filters to be used with furnaces that are rated up to MERV 11 or higher only, please consult with your furnace's operations manual or look up its model to ensure that our filters are compatible.

Colorfil is a filter made with a coating that captures and neutralize chemicals and odors from the air. Designed by our engineers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to remove toxic chemicals from spacecraft and space suits, Colorfil primarily targets amine compounds such as ammonia, pet, bathroom, and cooking odors, and fumes from household cleaners.

 Our filters use Colorfil technology in combination with conventional air filter materials to deliver chemisorptive capability in addition to removing dust, pollen, mold and other small particles from your air. Colorfil also lets you know if it has done its job through a vibrant color change from pink (or purple) to yellow!

Colorfil's color changes in proportion to the amount of chemicals it has captured. As our chemisorptive coating neutralizes gas molecules from the air, Colorfil displays an intrinsic color change that acts as a signal for how much capacity remains for removal of more chemicals and odors.

While the color change indicates most of your filter’s capacity to absorb chemicals and odors has been consumed, a yellow Colorfil filter will still function effectively to remove particulates such as dust and pollen until its next “color change” turning grey from dust.

Our filters generally last 1-4 months with typical use, though actual lifetime depends on air quality, time of year, HVAC use, and other factors such as pets in the home and use of certain chemical cleaners. Even in the same home, filter life may vary quite a bit throughout the year. With Colorfil’s color change you get to know exactly when your filter has expired, rather than relying on an arbitrary one-size-fits-all recommendation. 

The key active ingredient in Colorfil is non-toxic and naturally found in fruit! Unlike air fresheners, aerosols, candles, and incense, Colorfil captures odors and other gas molecules without adding any chemicals to the air. 

We produce, handle, and use our filters daily and are confident in the safety of our product. However…we highly recommend that you do not eat Colorfil, rub it in your eyes, or use it as a bath towel 😉. You can view our full terms and disclaimers here.