The Japanese Flu-Fighting Suit

Just in time for pandemic season: starting Thursday, the Haruyama Trading Co. will begin offering suits designed to protect the wearer from the deadly H1N1 strain of influenza:

The suit is coated with the chemical titanium dioxide, which reacts to light to break down and kill the virus when it comes into contact with it, according to Junko Hirohata. The chemical is a common ingredient in toothpaste and cosmetics.

The suit—which is indistinguishable from any other worn by Japan’s legion of “salarymen”—comes in four colors and styles, which are medium grey, charcoal, navy and a grey pinstripe.

Note: for illustration purposes only, the above suit reflects the Haruyama Trading Co.‘s water-repellent suit, and not the one designed to shield its wearer from swine flu.

In the Telegraph: Japanese Suit That Fights Flu