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Komuso (est. 2017) The Original Breathing Necklace. Beware of counterfeit knockoffs as they may pose safety risks.

TOOLS FOR STRESS, SLEEP & BURNOUT, SHOP NOW

How to Choose a Breathing Necklace: 
A Buyer’s Guide to Materials, Airflow, Safety and Support

08/03/2026  

Breathing necklaces have become increasingly popular as portable tools for anxiety, stress, overthinking and everyday breathing practice.

 

At first glance, many of them look almost identical: a small metal pendant attached to a chain, designed to create resistance as you exhale. But a breathing necklace is not ordinary jewelry.

 

You place it against your mouth. You breathe through it. You may wear it every day and reach for it during moments of anxiety. That means the materials, internal airflow, weight, chain, clasp, cleanability and company behind the product all matter.

 

This guide explains what to consider before choosing a breathing necklace and why two products that look similar online may feel very different in real life.

What is a breathing necklace?

A breathing necklace is a wearable tool designed to help slow and lengthen the exhale.

 

You inhale normally through your nose, place the pendant gently against your lips and breathe out through its internal chamber. The resistance encourages a slower, more controlled exhale.

 

For many people, the necklace serves a second purpose:

It is a physical reminder to pause.

 

When anxiety appears, most people do not need to be told that breathing can help. The harder part is remembering to use the breath before stress turns into a spiral.

 

A wearable breathing tool keeps that reminder close.

Do all breathing necklaces work the same way?

No.

Two breathing necklaces can look nearly identical in a photograph while differing in:

  • Internal chamber dimensions
  • Airflow resistance
  • Pendant weight
  • Metal composition
  • Taste or odor
  • Chain quality
  • Clasp durability
  • Cleanability
  • Product instructions
  • Customer support
  • Warranty and returns
  • Authenticity of the brand story
  • Patent protection

A low-cost breathing necklace may be enough for someone who simply wants to experiment with the concept. But if you plan to place the product against your mouth regularly and rely on it during anxious moments, it is worth looking beyond the shape.

Not every lower-priced breathing necklace will have the same weaknesses. The purpose of this chart is to show the questions a thoughtful buyer should ask.

1. Who created the breathing necklace?

Komuso began developing The Shift in 2017 after cofounder Todd Steinberg experienced the effect of breathing through a narrow opening and extending his exhale.
 

He and his wife, Vanessa, began exploring how to turn that breathing pattern into a wearable tool—something that could remain accessible when stress or anxiety actually appeared.
 

The concept became The Shift: a breathing pendant inspired in part by the shape and contemplative traditions associated with the Japanese shakuhachi flute.
 

Komuso filed both its utility and design patent applications in August 2017, before the product became widely known. The design patent was issued in 2019, and the utility patent was issued in 2022.

2. Is the breathing necklace actually patented?

The Komuso Shift is protected by two issued United States patents:

  • U.S. Utility Patent No. 11,433,195
  • U.S. Design Patent No. D840,529

The utility patent covers features of a wearable breathing device, including an elongated chamber designed to restrict exhaled airflow and slow the user’s breathing. The design patent protects the ornamental design of the breathing apparatus.

When another breathing necklace uses phrases such as “patent inspired,” “patent design” or “patent pending,” look for the actual patent number.

A patent number allows you to verify:

  • Who the inventor is
  • When the application was filed
  • When the patent was issued
  • What the patent actually covers
  • Whether the seller owns or licenses it

Without that information, “patented” can become little more than marketing language.

3. Why does the material matter so much?

A breathing necklace is different from ordinary fashion jewelry because it is repeatedly placed against the mouth.

That means the material must withstand:

  • Saliva
  • Moisture
  • Sweat
  • Skin contact
  • Regular cleaning
  • Daily wear
  • Repeated contact with the lips

Komuso uses 316 stainless steel for the Classic Shift pendant and chain.

In sworn testimony, Todd explained that the company selected 316 stainless steel because of its resistance to corrosion and because the product needed to withstand repeated contact with saliva, moisture and daily wear. He also testified that the company tested materials with the goal of avoiding tarnish, cracking, fading, discoloration and unpleasant metallic taste.

Before purchasing any breathing necklace, ask:

  • Is the exact grade of metal disclosed?
  • Is the pendant made from the same material as the chain?
  • Is the finish plated, painted or coated?
  • Are cleaning instructions provided?
  • Does the seller identify its materials clearly?
  • Do customer reviews mention taste, smell, tarnish or discoloration?

A listing that says only “premium metal” or “stainless steel” gives you less information about something that will repeatedly touch your mouth.

4. What if a breathing necklace has a strange taste?

Taste and odor are legitimate buying considerations.

 

One Komuso customer described trying a cheaper version before purchasing The Shift:

“I actually went with a cheaper version before getting a Shift… not the same. Komuso is absolutely worth the price and WORKS.”

 

Another customer comparison discussed during the federal case noted that the genuine Komuso product felt heavier and made it easier to extend the exhale. The court record also includes customer complaints involving metallic taste, tarnished interiors and broken chains associated with competing products.

 

One customer comment cannot prove that every inexpensive breathing necklace will taste or feel the same.

 

But it raises a reasonable question:

Do you know what material you are placing against your mouth?

 

An unusual taste may come from the base metal, coating, finish, manufacturing residue or another source. Buyers should not have to guess.

 

A breathing tool should feel clean and comfortable enough that you will actually use it when anxiety appears.

5. Is it just a hollow tube?

The internal dimensions of a breathing necklace determine how much resistance the user feels while exhaling.
 

Too little resistance may feel like breathing through an ordinary open tube.

Too much resistance may feel uncomfortable or difficult.
 

Komuso’s utility patent describes specific length and internal-diameter ranges intended to restrict the exhale and slow the breathing rate.
 

Todd testified that Komuso spent nearly two years researching and testing the circumference and diameter of the pendant to create an exhale of approximately eight to ten seconds.

This is one of the most important distinctions between products that may look similar online.

The visual shape does not tell you:

  • How much resistance the chamber creates
  • Whether the airflow is consistent
  • Whether every unit is manufactured to the same dimensions
  • Whether the tool feels natural against the lips
  • Whether the exhale can be comfortably extended

The internal experience matters more than the outer resemblance.

6. Why does the weight matter?

Weight can affect how a breathing necklace feels in daily use.

A more substantial pendant may:

  • Feel steadier against the lips
  • Be easier to locate without looking
  • Sit more predictably against the chest
  • Feel less disposable
  • Create a stronger physical reminder to pause

A lighter necklace is not automatically ineffective.

But two products with the same general shape may differ in wall thickness, material density, chamber construction and durability.

That is why customer comparisons often mention weight. It is one of the first physical differences people notice once they hold both products.

7. Why should you inspect the chain and clasp?

The pendant gets most of the attention.

The chain is often where lower-cost products save money.

 

If the chain tarnishes, the clasp breaks or the links separate, the pendant may end up in a drawer. At that point, it is no longer available as a daily reminder to breathe.

 

During the federal hearing, Todd explained that Komuso selected a double-reinforced clasp after seeing customers report broken clasps and chains on competing versions. The court later cited the clasp, stainless steel quality and long-term durability as examples of the development work Komuso invested in the product.

 

When comparing chains, examine:

  • Metal composition
  • Link construction
  • Clasp design
  • Connection points
  • Chain thickness
  • Resistance to moisture
  • Availability of replacements
  • Warranty and customer support

The clasp may seem like a minor detail in a product photograph.

In daily use, it can determine the lifespan of the entire necklace.

8. Why is Komuso more expensive than a $20 breathing necklace?

This is the most common and fairest question.

A lower-priced breathing necklace may cost less because the seller has invested less in:

  • Original product development
  • Patents
  • Material quality
  • Metal testing
  • Internal chamber consistency
  • Chain and clasp construction
  • Quality control
  • Domestic customer service
  • Returns and replacements
  • Educational content
  • Long-term product support
  • Intellectual-property protection

The price of a Komuso Shift does not reflect only the visible metal tube.

It also reflects the engineering, material specification, patented design, chain, clasp, testing, education, fulfillment and support behind it.

 

During the federal hearing, Todd explained that cheaper products created the impression that Komuso was charging more for the “same thing,” even though differences in airflow, metal, chain quality and education are not always visible in an advertisement.

 

This is why the least visible details often determine the real value.

9. Has Komuso taken legal action against knockoffs?

Yes.

Komuso has used both Amazon’s patent-enforcement process and federal litigation to protect its patented product.

 

Through Amazon’s Patent Evaluation Express process, an evaluator found that Komuso had shown a likelihood of infringement involving a challenged Amazon product listing. That decision gave Komuso an enforcement mechanism for reporting additional listings using the same patented features.

 

Komuso also filed a federal patent-infringement case in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against ten sellers identified in the lawsuit.

At a June 2025 hearing, the court reviewed:

  • The Komuso patents
  • Side-by-side product comparisons
  • Examples of accused products
  • Customer complaints
  • Amazon enforcement evidence
  • Marketing materials
  • Todd’s sworn testimony
  • Komuso’s development and sales history

The court found that Komuso had established a reasonable likelihood of success on its patent-infringement claims and converted the temporary restraining order into a preliminary injunction against all ten defendants while the case continued.

 

That is not the same as a final trial judgment.

But it is a significant federal court ruling based on the evidence presented at that stage of the case.

The court also specifically recognized Komuso’s investment in:

  • Product design
  • Stainless steel quality
  • Corrosion resistance
  • Taste
  • Clasp durability
  • Marketing
  • Customer education
  • Patent protection

The judge described some defendants’ use of Komuso’s marketing materials and Todd’s likeness as an “absolute and inexcusable” appropriation of Komuso’s work.

10. How many infringing listings has Komuso removed?

Komuso has maintained an ongoing anti-counterfeiting program across Amazon and other online marketplaces.

 

At the federal hearing, Komuso’s attorney stated that Amazon had removed more than 900 listings through its internal patent-enforcement process.

 

Based on Komuso’s internal enforcement records, the total number of infringing listings removed over time has now surpassed 1,000.

 

Amazon’s public dashboard only displays the prior 12 months of reporting history. In that period, the dashboard shows:

  • 16 reports submitted
  • 12 accepted
  • 4 not accepted
  • A 75% acceptance rate

The number is less important than the broader pattern:

Infringing sellers frequently disappear and return under new names, domains or product listings.

Todd’s declaration explains that Komuso regularly investigates suspected sellers through consumer reports, reverse-image searches and search terms such as “breathing necklace,” “anxiety necklace” and “stop smoking necklace.” It also states that sellers often reappear under new aliases after enforcement action.

11. What did the federal court say about the alleged copies?

The court did more than acknowledge that the products looked alike.

After reviewing the patents, accused products, photographs and testimony, the judge concluded that Komuso had shown a reasonable likelihood of proving infringement if the case proceeded to trial.

The court also credited evidence concerning:

  • Market confusion
  • Customers mistaking competing products for Komuso
  • Negative reviews of inferior products affecting Komuso’s reputation
  • Competing sellers using Komuso’s photos and videos
  • Products using Todd’s likeness
  • The loss of patent exclusivity
  • Damage to Komuso’s market position

The court found that monetary damages alone would not fully address the harm and that the balance of the equities supported an injunction.

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple:

The similarities are not merely something Komuso has claimed in advertising. They have been examined through formal patent-enforcement proceedings and federal litigation.

12. Can competitors copy more than the product?

The court did more than acknowledge that the products looked alike.

After reviewing the patents, accused products, photographs and testimony, the judge concluded that Komuso had shown a reasonable likelihood of proving infringement if the case proceeded to trial.

The court also credited evidence concerning:

Yes.

The federal case includes allegations and evidence that some sellers copied:

  • Komuso product photographs
  • Product videos
  • Educational content
  • Customer testimonials
  • Product language
  • Founder imagery
  • Todd’s likeness
  • Elements of the Komuso origin story

The complaint includes an image showing the same photo of Todd using the breathing necklace appearing across multiple competing listings.

 

During the hearing, Todd testified that some sellers used his own videos and images while telling a different story about who created the product.

 

A copied origin story can make an imitation look more established than it is.

When a seller claims to have invented or developed a breathing necklace, look for:

  • Patent filing dates
  • Named inventors
  • Archived product pages
  • Verifiable founders
  • Original educational content
  • A consistent company history
  • Evidence of genuine product development

A polished website does not necessarily prove originality.Market confusion

  • Customers mistaking competing products for Komuso
  • Negative reviews of inferior products affecting Komuso’s reputation
  • Competing sellers using Komuso’s photos and videos
  • Products using Todd’s likeness
  • The loss of patent exclusivity
  • Damage to Komuso’s market position

The court found that monetary damages alone would not fully address the harm and that the balance of the equities supported an injunction.

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple:

The similarities are not merely something Komuso has claimed in advertising. They have been examined through formal patent-enforcement proceedings and federal litigation.

13. Where does the product ship from?

Shipping location matters because it affects:

  • Delivery time
  • Tracking
  • Returns
  • Exchanges
  • Replacement parts
  • Customer support
  • Accountability

Komuso is a family-owned U.S. company and fulfills American orders domestically.

Before buying any breathing necklace, check:

  • Where the product physically ships from
  • Where returns must be sent
  • Whether the company has a U.S. business address
  • Whether customer support is reachable
  • Whether replacement chains are available
  • Whether the company clearly explains its warranty and return policy

Some marketplace sellers may use U.S. fulfillment centers even when the seller and manufacturer are based overseas.

Fast shipping does not necessarily identify who made the product or who will stand behind it.

14. Does the company help you use the breathing necklace?

A breathing necklace is only useful when it becomes part of a repeatable practice.

Buying a pendant does not automatically teach you:

  • How slowly to exhale
  • How many breaths to take
  • When to reach for the tool
  • How to use it during anxiety
  • How to connect it with existing routines
  • How to notice stress before it escalates
  • How to create a consistent calming habit

Komuso includes access to a free breathwork course designed to teach customers how to use the tool.

 

Todd testified that he created a course covering multiple breathing practices and different ways to use The Shift, including everyday anxiety, preparing for the day and replacing smoking-related behavior.

 

Komuso also publishes the Weekly Well, an ongoing letter about noticing, pausing, breathing and building a more peaceful relationship with everyday life.

 

That reflects an important difference:

Komuso is not only selling a pendant. It is helping people build a pattern of pauses.

A competitor may reproduce a shape.

 

It cannot automatically reproduce the education, experience and philosophy developed around the original.

15. How should you evaluate breathing-necklace reviews?

Reviews can be useful, but a high rating alone does not tell the whole story.

Look for reviews that answer specific questions:

  • How did the airflow feel?
  • Was the pendant comfortable against the lips?
  • Did it have a taste or odor?
  • Did the finish hold up?
  • Did the chain break?
  • Was it easy to clean?
  • Did the company respond to questions?
  • Did the product match the listing?
  • Did it help the user remember to slow down?
  • Did the reviewer compare it with another breathing necklace?

Be cautious when reviews are:

  • Extremely vague
  • Repetitive
  • Written in nearly identical language
  • Attached to a listing that previously sold another product
  • Inconsistent with customer photographs
  • Focused only on delivery speed
  • Reusing another brand’s photographs or product story
  • Making strong medical promises without evidence

The most useful reviews describe the real experience of wearing, holding and breathing through the product.

Can a breathing necklace help with anxiety?

A breathing necklace is not a medical treatment for anxiety, and it should not replace care from a qualified healthcare professional.

 

Its practical role is more specific:

It gives the user a physical cue to pause and a tool for slowing the exhale.

 

Anxiety often affects breathing before we consciously recognize what is happening. Breathing may become quicker, shallower or less steady.

 

A controlled exhale gives the mind and body something concrete to focus on.

 

For many people, the hardest part is not knowing that slower breathing may help.

 

It is remembering to use it while the anxious pattern is happening.

A breathing necklace makes that reminder physical.

Questions to ask before buying any breathing necklace

Use this checklist before choosing:

  1. Who created the product?
  2. Can the company’s history be verified?
  3. Is the product actually patented?
  4. What does the patent cover?
  5. What exact metal is used in the pendant?
  6. What exact metal is used in the chain?
  7. Is the product intended for repeated contact with the mouth?
  8. Are there complaints about taste, smell, tarnish or coatings?
  9. How does the airflow feel?
  10. Is the internal chamber engineered or simply hollow?
  11. Is the pendant substantial enough for comfortable use?
  12. Is the chain designed for daily wear?
  13. What happens if the clasp breaks?
  14. Where does the item ship from?
  15. Where are returns sent?
  16. Does the company offer instructions or a breathing course?
  17. Are the reviews specific and credible?
  18. Is the seller using another company’s photographs, videos or story?
  19. Is customer support easy to reach?
  20. Will you trust and use this product when anxiety actually appears?

The Bottom Line

Not everyone needs the most expensive breathing necklace.

But every buyer deserves to understand what they are purchasing, especially when the product will repeatedly touch the mouth and may become part of how they respond to anxiety.

 

Komuso created The Shift as more than jewelry.

 

It is a patented wearable breathing tool built around a simple practice:

Notice the stress.
Pause before reacting.
Take a slower breath.
Choose what happens next.

 

Lower-priced products may imitate the outer appearance.

 

The more meaningful question is whether they also deliver the materials, airflow, durability, support, trust and experience that make the necklace something you will continue using.

Ready to experience the original?

Explore the patented Komuso Shift Breathing Necklace, made with a 316 stainless steel pendant and chain and supported by a free breathing course.

 

Explore The Shift

Experience it today

SHOP THE SHIFT

More Than a Necklace. A Better Experience.

Choosing a breathing necklace isn't just about finding the lowest price—it's about choosing a tool you'll trust enough to use when it matters most.

 

The Komuso Shift was thoughtfully designed to become part of your everyday life. From its patented airflow and certified 316 stainless steel construction to its reinforced chain and free breathing course, every detail was created to help transform a simple object into a lasting calming practice.

 

When anxiety shows up, the goal isn't simply to own a breathing necklace.

It's to have one you'll actually reach for.

 

If you're looking for the original breathing necklace, designed by the inventors who created the category and continue to support a community of hundreds of thousands of people, we'd love to welcome you.

Give yourself a breather

SHOP YOUR SHIFT

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