The Easter holidays can be the perfect time to tackle building or renovating projects around the home, but it can also result in exposure to dust mites, mould and hidden chemicals which can be a nasty trigger for those with asthma or allergies. However, for households with asthma or allergies, undergoing any type of renovation can pose serious health risks due to allergen exposure. This can lead to nose, eye and skin irritation, coughing, sneezing or wheezing and even severe reactions in some people.

Whether it’s a simple refresh or a whole-home makeover, your space deserves to be comfortable and allergy-aware; and you should feel confident that the products you choose won’t further increase the risk of asthma or allergy flare-ups.

There may already be allergens hiding in your home, waiting to be discovered. We’ve all heard the horror stories of hidden water damage causing mould and moisture problems or discovering your property has poor ventilation and drafts. Old carpets, furniture or insulation may have accumulated years of dust mite or pet dander build-up too. Before tackling any renovation or improvement projects, it’s important to consider how it might impact the overall health of your home.

Let’s create a healthier home

Personal health and wellness are key priorities in the lives of many Australians. In the realm of building and renovating, health, hygiene and functionality are just as (if not more) important as aesthetics. Did you know, indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air quality?

Household allergens like dust, mould, pollen or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can trigger asthma and allergies and can compromise the indoor air quality in your home. Unfortunately, common products found in the home or used in building products can contain harmful VOCs (such as fragrances, formaldehyde or phthalates) which can continue to emit particles into the air, even after the renovation is completed. There are VOCs in aerosols, cleaning products, paints, cosmetics, adhesives, pressed wood products, foam, tobacco smoke, upholstery, carpets, textiles, plastics, detergents and more.

For the one in nine Australians (2.8 million) with asthma, and roughly one in five with allergies, choosing products that can minimise or eliminate the risks of hidden allergens can have a direct impact on your health and quality of life. Even for households without these extra sensitivities, using allergy or asthma aware products can help you create a healthier, safer environment. 

If you’re ready for home improvement, the National Asthma Council’s Sensitive Choice^® program is here to help you achieve your project goals.

Achieving an allergen aware environment with Sensitive Choice^®

The National Asthma Council Australia created the Sensitive Choice^® program to help people identify products and services that are asthma and allergy aware, through the trusted blue butterfly. All products and services with the iconic Sensitive Choice^® blue butterfly have been rigorously reviewed and approved by an independent expert panel that determines their potential benefit to people with asthma and allergies.

These products are low-VOC, contain no fragrances and have the potential to mitigate the development of common allergens. For example, paints that have anti-microbial treatments to hinder mould growth, or low-VOC carpets that are resistant to stains, dust and dirt.

Sensitive Choice^® provides essential resources, advice and product recommendations for people living with sensitivities. There is a range of Sensitive Choice^® approved products available that can improve all areas of your home – such as managing ideal levels of indoor humidity in the laundry or bathroom, reducing dust mites in the bedroom, or ensuring you’re breathing in fresh, clean air across all your living spaces.

As you take on your next building adventure, it’s essential to consider the ways you can achieve a healthier space.

There are asthma and allergy aware options for: 

• blind fabrics
• dehumidifiers
• heating
• ventilation
• air conditioning units
• air purifying technology
• paints
• flooring and underlays
• carpets
• ventilation
• insulation.

Making little adjustments to the choices for your home can have substantial impacts on creating a healthier living environment. It’s time to make a ‘Sensitive Choice^®’.

Find Sensitive Choice^® approved products at the Melbourne Home Show 

Come along to the Melbourne Home Show 17 to 19 April 2026 and learn about Sensitive Choice^® approved household products and renovation advice to minimise common allergy and asthma triggers. Visit the Sensitive Choice^® stand, A38, to meet Sensitive Choice^® partners and enter some exciting competitions. Sensitive Choice^® will be exhibiting with Bekaert Deslee (featured in Luxaflex^® blinds), Coway, De’Longhi and Hisense.

Get your free event tickets: https://bit.ly/SC-Melb-Home-Show-Tix-2026.

Bekaert Deslee featured in Luxaflex^® blinds

Bekaert Deslee manufactures a range of blind fabrics that are Sensitive Choice^® approved, and these fabrics feature in the Hunter Douglas range of Luxaflex^® roller blinds. The Luxaflex^® Haven and Sorelle fabrics are designed to be suitable for people with asthma and allergies. The Sensitive Choice^® approval on these blind fabrics reflects their ability to help reduce exposure to common triggers while maintaining high standards of design and performance.

The Luxaflex^® Haven Blockout Fabric Collection combines contemporary design with advanced performance. Featuring a harmonious tone-on-tone jacquard, Haven delivers a soft, noble texture that suits a wide range of interior styles. Designed and made in Australia, the collection’s carefully curated colour palette reflects timeless, much-loved hues for modern homes.

Equally refined, the Sorelle Blockout Fabric Collection offers a sophisticated reinterpretation of traditional jacquard textures. Also locally developed, Sorelle introduces a balanced, understated texture that brings warmth and elegance to interiors while creating a sense of calm. Its design-led approach makes it ideal for spaces where serenity and comfort are key.

Beyond aesthetics, both ranges are engineered for performance and wellbeing. Anti-dust mite, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties help reduce allergens and maintain hygiene, while anti-static technology minimises dust attraction. By limiting dust attraction and inhibiting microbial growth, both ranges support a cleaner, more hygienic living environment.

Coway

Coway’s mission is simple: to help people live healthier, happier lives. With innovative engineering and user-friendly designs, Coway’s Airmega air purifiers are globally recognised for their effectiveness in reducing airborne allergens and pollutants.

Coway’s Sensitive Choice^® approved air purifiers are designed to remove these common indoor triggers, helping you create a safer, healthier home environment for your family.

Leading the range is the Airmega Mighty, Coway’s most powerful air purifier. Ideal for master bedrooms and kids’ rooms, it features a multi-stage filtration system that captures up to 99.97% of airborne particles, including dust mites, pollen, smoke, and pet dander. Its deodorisation and HEPA filters work together to eliminate odours and harmful gases, while the pre-filter captures larger airborne particles like dust and pet hair. Smart sensors continuously monitor air quality and adjust settings automatically, ensuring your home stays fresh and allergen-free.

For larger living areas, the Airmega 350 and 400 deliver powerful, continuous air circulation. The Airmega 350 is designed for open-plan living rooms, while the Airmega 400 covers even bigger spaces, ensuring clean air reaches every corner of your home. For smaller and medium-sized rooms, the Airmega 150 and 250 provide targeted purification. The Airmega 150 is ideal for bedrooms or home offices and comes in a variety of colours to suit any interior style, making it both functional and stylish. The Airmega 250, meanwhile, is perfect for kitchens or smaller living areas that are prone to smoke, odours, or dust accumulation.

There’s a Coway air purifier for every home and lifestyle. Experience how Coway’s Sensitive Choice^® approved air purifiers can transform your indoor environment into a haven for those with asthma and allergies.

De’Longhi 

De’Longhi is the global brand that offers consumers innovative products with a unique combination of style and performance. De’Longhi offers innovative appliances for comfort and home, with their range of panel heaters and dehumidifiers approved by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice^® program.  This approval gives you peace of mind that our products have been rigorously tested and proven to be beneficial to those living with asthma, allergies and other respiratory issues. 

Experience rapid, silent, and energy-efficient warmth with De’Longhi panel and convector heaters. Designed with a modern, slim, and compact profile, these portable electric heaters offer a versatile solution for heating both residential and commercial spaces. Enjoy a discreet yet powerful heating option that seamlessly blends into any room, providing fast and consistent comfort exactly where you need it. 

De’Longhi dehumidifiers eliminate excess moisture from the air, controlling humidity-related issues, and allowing you and your family to enjoy a comfortable and healthier home all year round. Featuring four actions of air filtration technology, De’Longhi dehumidifiers capture most of the air pollutants that can be harmful to health, including pollen, dust, bacteria and pet dander, as well as reduce bad smelling odours and the spread of bacteria in the air. 

Hisense 

Hisense air conditioning solutions are designed to support healthier living by delivering ‘Better Air’ through advanced purification, intelligent cleaning technologies and efficient performance. 

Hisense’s HI-NANO is an advanced and highly efficient plasma ion air purification technology designed to improve indoor air quality at a microscopic level. The increased ion concentration in the HI-NANO technology actively eliminates airborne bacteria within two hours of operation, while inhibiting a wide range of common indoor pollutants, including allergens, mould, pollen, odours and fine particulate matter such as PM2.5.  

HI-NANO technology is officially approved by the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice® program, providing a recognised mark of trust for those who value cleaner indoor air. Building on this proven foundation, HI-NANO 99+ is available in the X5 Series and represents Hisense’s most advanced air purification solution yet, further enhancing air cleaning performance by targeting both oxygen and water molecules.