Art collectors have always appreciated the way a particular piece can change the atmosphere of the space it inhabits—but what if that art could also literally change the air the viewer breathes? That idea, said Moss Pure creator Jamie Mitri, is central to the company's ethos as it touts its sustainable art.
Mitri, a Smithfield, RI native, launched Moss Pure after winning the MIT startup Lebanon competition in 2020 and now sells the natural art on her site as well as through the online retailer, Wayfair. The aesthetically pleasing design pieces also work as air purifiers.
"Our products are patent pending both in the US and internationally to use moss as an air filter and therapeutic relief device," Mitri said. "Certified analytical results show that about 1 square foot of our products capture 42% of carbon dioxide within minutes. Our products target particulate matter, VOCs, metals, and certain bacteria and viruses."
Moss Pure is also sustainable, Mitri said. The living moss artwork is made with 95% sustainable and eco-friendly material, with the Zigzag frame being 100% reclaimed wood. Additionally, the moss plant requires no electricity and little upkeep.
Living walls have gained popularity in the past few years, but Mitri said most companies that created moss walls use preserved moss.
"These companies were not able to keep moss alive and sustainable," she said. "And the few companies that did use live moss had bulky products that needed assembling, watering, and electricity daily."
Mitri also points to the benefits of biophilic design, a concept used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment, which has been proven by Harvard and Cornell scientists to reduce stress and increase productivity.
"Biophilic design includes having the visual aspect of nature in your space and Moss Pure’s engineering further enhances the effects of biophilic design, not just incorporating sight, but also touch and smell," she said. "For example, the live moss in our products provide a 3D effect and use natural elements, such as reclaimed wood. Our customers are able to interact directly with live moss, which smells like a park on a sunny day or fresh cut grass."
While many of Mitri's products are designed to hang indoors, she's done large scale installations and custom pieces for several clients on both coasts and shipped her work across the United States to California, Wisconsin, Washington State, Oregon, Montana and along the East Coast from Massachusetts to New York. She's also designed custom pieces for high-end apartments and homes as well as sold products in bulk to design firms looking to outfit offices, hotels, yoga studios and restaurants.
Mitri's team is currently small and includes a web developer, marketing, lawyers, accounting, and business mentors, and also her mom, Charlotte.
"My mom helps me to assemble all our products in our Rhode Island studio. She studied interior design and fashion in college and has an amazing aesthetic eye," she said. "We are currently looking to collaborate with a local Carpenter and are hiring two Assembly Technicians to help us create our products. Moss Pure is rapidly growing and expanding and it’s a very exciting time."
