IONIQUE™ Frequently Asked
Questions
What is IONIQUE™ and how does
it work?
IONIQUE™ is a uniquely engineered polymeric
flooring product from ZAXXON that uses patent-pending Clean Air Technology and
incorporates naturally occurring ionized mineral composites to release negative
ions into ambient air. While the overall flooring itself remains electrically
neutral, when impacted by the heat and pressure of footsteps, molecules within
the flooring can attract positively charged airborne antigens to the ground.
Through your normal, regular floor maintenance process, you'll be eliminating
these neutralized contaminant particles.
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What are negative ions?
An ion is any atom that has a positive or negative
charge. A negative ion is an atom with a negative charge.
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What are negative ions good for you?
Because biological and environmental pollutants are
generally found in nature to be positively charged, the abundance of negative
ions can work to offset their counts.
Nicknamed "vitamins of the air", negative ions have sparked a lengthy history of
research and use in Japan and Europe as a natural relief factor against
environmental and biological pollutants. In Japan, ionization technology is now
popularly available as a premium feature in ordinary household goods such as
refrigerators, air conditioners, air purifiers, bed lines, hair dryers, and bed
foam supports. In Europe, the benefits of negative ions have been applied to
special infection wards in university hospitals to reduce the rate of
infection. The benefits of ionization technology have also been widely accepted
in the U.S. Today, the FDA has approved the use of ionizers in American an
medical facilities as treatment for allergies, hay fever, and respiratory
conditions.
Given the worsening conditions of air quality levels worldwide, scientists are
paying increasing attention to the benefits of negative ions. In separate
researches conducted in universities, hospitals, and the private sector,
exposure to negative ions has consistently been found to alleviate seasonal
allergies, respiratory symptoms, and in some studies, to reduce fatigue,
stress, sick building syndrome, seasonally affected disorders, and depression.
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Are there other flooring products
out there that has IONIQUE™ 's negative ion features?
No . Ionique uses a patent-pending Clean Air
Technology that is unique to Zaxxon. Never before has a floor offered this
unprecedented combination of negative ion generation, environmental benefits,
durable performance, and of course, good looks.
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Why is IONIQUE™ a
revolutionary benchmark in the flooring industry?
IONIQUE™ is a revolutionary benchmark in the
flooring industry because it redefines the role that flooring can play in the
betterment of our environment and our daily lives.
Flooring is one of the most expansive surface areas in any building interior.
However, up to now, the flooring products that cover these large areas have
only been manufactured to fulfill the basics of aesthetics and durability
performance. At best, the green attributes of existing flooring products in
today's marketplace offer only neutral environmental benefits. Their
environmental claims range from attesting to varying amounts of recycled
content in the product or varying absences of certain toxic ingredients.
IONIQUE™ is a groundbreaking innovation in the flooring industry because
it is actively an environmental product. Aside from being 100% recyclable,
IONIQUE™ actively reduces toxins and antigens in the ambient air and
directly contributes to the optimization of our air quality and our living
environment.
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Who manufactures IONIQUE™ ?
IONIQUE™ is manufactured by ZAXXON, a
subsidiary of the Willie Company Ltd , one of the world's most innovative,
experienced, and top quality resilient flooring manufacturers. With nearly 40
years of manufacturing and innovation experience, Willie has been the
private-label manufacturer of choice for leading global brands in the U.S. and
Europe. With ZAXXON, Willie enters the market directly with a global brand and
delivers on an international basis with a sales and service network across the
U.S., Europe and Asia.
To realize its vision of IONIQUE™ , ZAXXON successfully forged a
multinational team of research scientists and ionization experts, drawn from
Japan's top research institutes and nano-technology experts in Taiwan's IT
industry, to work together with senior manufacturing experts in resilient
flooring. IONIQUE is engineered and manufactured in the Nantz Special Economic
Zone of Taiwan, the manufacturing seat of Taiwan's IT technology.
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How many negative ions does
IONIQUE™ generate?
Certified nanotechnology laboratories in Taiwan have
demonstrated that IONIQUE™ may generate up to 140 counts of negative ions
per cc into ambient air. This count may increase or decrease depending on the
rise and fall of friction, heat, and positive ions count in air.
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How does IONIQUE™ reduce
pollutants?
Germs, pollen, molds, odor particles, VOCs, and
other known pollutants are generally positively charged in nature. The negative
ions generated by IONIQUE™ neutralize their active states, thus reducing
their counts.
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Does IONIQUE™ reduce VOCs?
Certified tests show IONIQUE™ reduces commonly
occurring VOCs including benzene, toluene, ethybenezene, mp-Xylene, o-Xylene,
formaldehyde.
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Is IONIQUE™ safe?
Constant exposure to higher levels of negative ions
is not only safe but has also been known to contribute to better air and better
living.
IONIQUE™ uses Clean Air Technology , a negative ionization process that
occurs constantly in nature around freshwater springs, waterfalls, and
splashing water waves. This type of technology has been approved by FDA for use
in treatment of allergies, hay fevers, and other respiratory symptoms. It is
also used widely in Japan, and increasingly throughout the world, in ordinary
household products such as refrigerators, air conditioners, hair dryers, and
bed sheets. It is safe for daily use and is ideal for those concerned about
bettering their environments.
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Does IONIQUE™ reduce
pollutants in air or by contact?
Both. Tests show that IONIQUE™ is effective in
reducing certain airborne germs and by contact on the ground.
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Does IONIQUE™ generate static
electricity or an electrical field?
IONIQUE™ 's negative ions actually neutralize
the imbalance of electrical charges in the air, reducing static electricity.
Because of the constant circulation of indoor air through our daily motions,
IONIQUE™ is a "stabilizing" force rather than a destabilizing one. The
electrical wavelengths of the negative ions are not significant enough to
create a detectable electrical field.
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Does IONIQUE™ decrease its
effectiveness as the traffic volume increases?
To the contrary, friction and heat from foot traffic
actually enhances the effect of IONIQUE™ . However, like all natural
ionization processes, the IONIQUE™ requires direct contact with air. This
means the more debris and dust gather on the floor, the less effective it will
become.
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What kind of health benefits have
been credited to negative ions?
Research scientists worldwide have consistently
found the positive effect of negative ions on air quality and our general
well-being. FDA has approved of negative ions as part of the treatments for
allergies, hay fever and certain respiratory symptoms in U.S. medical
facilities. In Europe, negative ions have been used to reduce rate of infection
in special infection units. In Japan, negative ions are used in everyday
household goods to optimize air quality in enclosed corporate and domestic
spaces. There are also an increasing number of case studies worldwide which
attest to the positive impact that negative ions may have on those that suffer
from seasonal affected disorders, stress, fatigue, depression, or "sick
building syndrome".
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What is "Sick Building Syndrome"?
Sick Building Syndrome or (SBS) is used to describe
inhabitants' mental and physical ailment that appears to be linked to time
spent in a building. SBS often affects work absenteeism. In a study conducted
in Switzerland, two groups of employees were lead to believe that they were
being exposed to an increase in negative ions. In fact, only group A was
exposed to an increase in negative ions on a daily basis while group B was a
control group. Over a total of the six month study, group A reported a total of
22 sick days, while group B reported a total of 64 sick days. In a separate
study within a bank, a group of employees worked in a negative ions enhanced
environment and a second and similarly sized group acted worked in an untreated
environment. Over the next few months, for every day lost to absenteeism due to
ailments claimed by the first group, the second group claimed sixteen days. For
links to additional studies, please go to the More on Negative Ions section.
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Do the floors require additional
maintenance?
In order for IONIQUE™ to be at it's maximum
effectiveness, the floors should be cleaned regularly to remove the dust and
dander that it has attracted from the air. If the IONIQUE™ floor is not
well maintained or largely covered by area rugs, its effectiveness will be
reduced.
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How long will the negative ion
capability of IONIQUE™ last?
Zaxxon's patent-pending Clean Air Technology
utilizes a natural ionization process that works gradually over the life of the
product to neutralize the positively charged contaminants in the air.
The floors will continue to be effective for the duration of the warranty as
long as the floor is not damaged and continues to be exposed directly to the
air. Carpets, rugs, and other items that may cover the floors will prevent
effective ion exchange. Dust, dirt, and grime that are permitted to build up on
the floor will also inhibit the floor's effectiveness.
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How many IONIQUE™ designs and
styles are currently available?
IONIQUE™ is available in many different
patterns and styles. Please ask your sales representative for more information.
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Where can I find IONIQUE™
products?
IONIQUE™ is available in retail flooring
stores and through commercial flooring contractors. Ask for it by name.
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