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The red dye being bonded to two -OH functionalized PP cloths symbolizes Arginine - a basic amino acid being able to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 on NWs
25.02.2021

Arginine coating of non wovens reduce infectivity of SARS-CoV-2

Patients as well as air-condition and ventilator systems spread SARS-CoV-2 virus as aerosols which settle on surfaces and remain there infective for more than 72 hours. That‘s why the pandemic has triggered an intensive search for Personal Protective Equipment PPE whose surfaces have antiviral properties, e.g. are able to bind and inactivate adhering virus.

In this context the chemical stability of the materials being used for PPE, polypropylene PP and/or polyester PET, is a challenge. More precisely, the absence of so-called ‘functional groups‘, like -OH, -COO-, -NH3+ at the material‘s surface. These groups are the fundamental basis for surface chemistry – specifically for attaching antiviral compounds onto the surfaces of man-made fibers.

Patients as well as air-condition and ventilator systems spread SARS-CoV-2 virus as aerosols which settle on surfaces and remain there infective for more than 72 hours. That‘s why the pandemic has triggered an intensive search for Personal Protective Equipment PPE whose surfaces have antiviral properties, e.g. are able to bind and inactivate adhering virus.

In this context the chemical stability of the materials being used for PPE, polypropylene PP and/or polyester PET, is a challenge. More precisely, the absence of so-called ‘functional groups‘, like -OH, -COO-, -NH3+ at the material‘s surface. These groups are the fundamental basis for surface chemistry – specifically for attaching antiviral compounds onto the surfaces of man-made fibers.

Antiviral surface modification with the basic amino acid Arginine Arg is a new approach to inactivate SARS-CoV-2. - bionic surfaces‘ - development was tested according to ISO 18184:2019 „Determination of antiviral activity of textile products“ at Institute for Virology and Immunology at University Wuerzburg, Germany. - The finding: „[Six hours] incubation on [Arginine] coated NW reduced viral infectivity by more than five orders of magnitude.“ In other words: An amount of, for example, 10.000.000 virus is reduced to 100 (by five orders of magnitude).

- bionic surfaces – has more than 30 years experience in wet-chemical surface modification of man-made polymers like PDMS, PP, PE, PTFE.

More information:
antiviral Arginin
Source:

- bionic surfaces -

HeiQ/Nylstar: Launch of HeiQ Viroblock Permanent on Meryl® Skinlife Force (c) Nylstar
28.01.2021

HeiQ/Nylstar: Launch of HeiQ Viroblock Permanent on Meryl® Skinlife Force

A decade long collaboration between Swiss textile innovator HeiQ and Spanish premium synthetic fiber manufacturer Nylstar, has resulted in the innovation of a revolutionary new premium antiviral and antimicrobial textile with zero pollution sustainable benefits, Meryl® Skinlife Force powered by HeiQ Viroblock Permanent, winner of ISPO Textrends Award for the Best Product.

A decade long collaboration between Swiss textile innovator HeiQ and Spanish premium synthetic fiber manufacturer Nylstar, has resulted in the innovation of a revolutionary new premium antiviral and antimicrobial textile with zero pollution sustainable benefits, Meryl® Skinlife Force powered by HeiQ Viroblock Permanent, winner of ISPO Textrends Award for the Best Product.

The new technology is used exclusively on Meryl® Skinlife Force, an hi-tech fabric that combines the silver-ion active principle antimicrobial properties developed by HeiQ and Nylstar’s hydrogen-based technology which allows the creation of yarns with a very strong molecular cohesion structure. The Hydrogen molecular structure makes Meryl® Skinlife Force a high-performance fabric in terms of moisture management and breathability, offering a natural stretch without elastane as well as excellent durability thanks to its continuous and high tenacity filaments. The robust durability of HeiQ Viroblock Permanent is achieved thanks to the silver particles being added directly into the raw polymer of the yarn thereby keeping these properties active for the lifetime of garments. Fabric samples successfully demonstrated a very strong antimicrobial efficacy with over 99.99% reduction of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria after 100 washes. Antiviral test is underway.

Both HeiQ and Nylstar will be “exhibiting” at ISPO Munich Online from February 1st to 5th. Nylstar won the Textrends 2021 Award for the Best Product in the Base Layer Category.

Sorpol Ltd. brings American antiviral technology to Israel (c) Ascend Performance Materials, APMPR055
19.01.2021

Ascend Performance Materials: Sorpol Ltd. brings American antiviral technology to Israel

Sorpol Ltd., a leading importer and distributor of industrial raw materials in Israel, has launched a website to sell Acteev Protect™ masks, made in the USA by polyamide manufacturer Ascend Performance Materials. The two companies also plan to partner in the distribution of Acteev surgical masks, N95 respirators, nonwoven media and textile fabrics as they become available.

Laboratory tests have demonstrated Acteev fabric effective at deactivating 99.9% of the viruses SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and H1N1, a flu virus. Acteev technology also eliminates bacteria and fungi.

Ofer Soreq, Sorpol’s marketing director, said the Acteev Protect line fits in neatly with the mission of the company.

Sorpol Ltd., a leading importer and distributor of industrial raw materials in Israel, has launched a website to sell Acteev Protect™ masks, made in the USA by polyamide manufacturer Ascend Performance Materials. The two companies also plan to partner in the distribution of Acteev surgical masks, N95 respirators, nonwoven media and textile fabrics as they become available.

Laboratory tests have demonstrated Acteev fabric effective at deactivating 99.9% of the viruses SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and H1N1, a flu virus. Acteev technology also eliminates bacteria and fungi.

Ofer Soreq, Sorpol’s marketing director, said the Acteev Protect line fits in neatly with the mission of the company.

Recent testing on Acteev fabric completed at the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that Acteev technology deactivates the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, with 99.9% efficacy on contact. Ascend has submitted several masks designs to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to obtain the appropriate regulatory clearances to make specific claims regarding the technology’s antiviral properties in the United States.

In addition to antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial protection, the washable, reusable masks are lightweight, breathable and odor-fighting, making them comfortable to wear during a long shift at work or for outdoor workouts.

Acteev Protect shows promise for use beyond masks, according to Ascend. The technology was originally developed for workout wear, and now the company is working on textile applications ranging from gloves to scrubs to high-end athleisure

Source:

EMG / Ascend Performance Materials

HeiQu: Carlo Centonze and his daughter Anna (c) HeiQ
Carlo Centonze and his daughter Anna
20.11.2020

HeiQ Viroblock wins Swiss Technology Award 2020

The Swiss Technology Award announced the 2020 prizes, and among all the notable finalist innovations of the year, HeiQ was bestowed the highest honor as First Prize Winner for its breakthrough antiviral textile technology HeiQ Viroblock.

Developed in record time and launched after the Swiss authorities announced the lockdown in March 2020, HeiQ Viroblock has had a major impact on the global textile industry and is being unprecedently adopted by mills around the world.

The Swiss Technology Award announced the 2020 prizes, and among all the notable finalist innovations of the year, HeiQ was bestowed the highest honor as First Prize Winner for its breakthrough antiviral textile technology HeiQ Viroblock.

Developed in record time and launched after the Swiss authorities announced the lockdown in March 2020, HeiQ Viroblock has had a major impact on the global textile industry and is being unprecedently adopted by mills around the world.

The technology that makes HeiQ Viroblock a unique innovation
What exemplifies HeiQ Viroblock is its ability to turn any fabric antiviral. It’s among the first textile technologies in the world to be proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). HeiQ Viroblock consists of a combination of HeiQ’s patent-pending vesicle and silver technologies. The two mechanisms of attack result in an over 99.9% destruction of viruses in 5 minutes that is unrivaled in the industry. HeiQ Viroblock is a unique patent-pending formulation of 72% bio-based ingredients, made with 100% cosmetic-grade materials from the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients list. HeiQ Viroblock is also a shining example of Swiss cooperation between academics and the industry. The silver technology was developed at ETHZ (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich), the vesicle technology at EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne), and the production was scaled up at FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz).

HeiQ Viroblock has demonstrated unparalleled speed from laboratory to consumer
HeiQ launched the new antiviral textile technology HeiQ Viroblock on March 16, 2020 – two hours after Switzerland declared a state of emergency. This was made possible with the indispensable support of Swiss research Partner FHNW and the EPFL which helped accelerate product validation. The fast scale-up of production was enabled by the FHNW School of Life Sciences with their new Process Technology Center (PTC) by special permit. With its agile operations and global footprint, HeiQ also brought HeiQ Viroblock face masks and other PPE (personal protection equipment) to different corners of the world where are needed. Now, Swiss consumers can also acquire HeiQ Viroblock enhanced face masks online.

Reacting to the news of HeiQ Viroblock winning this year’s Swiss Tech Award, Co-founder and CEO Carlo Centonze says: “I am both amazed and honored that HeiQ has won this award a second time in just ten years, and from among some incredible tech innovation finalists. It confirms our resolve to push the boundaries and push innovations to help the world with its most pressing and imminent problems. This award is recognition for our company and team that have spared no efforts to develop and launch HeiQ Viroblock at such speed and make a valuable contribution to the global pandemic efforts. We remain true to our mission: enhancing the everyday lives of people with smart and efficient textile effects.”

 

Source:

HeiQ

Antiviral and antibacterial zwissCLEAN masks® of zwissTEX (c) zwissTex
zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC
21.10.2020

Antiviral and antibacterial zwissCLEAN masks® of zwissTEX

With zwissCLEAN® masks, zwissTEX is a pioneer among manufacturers of antiviral and antibacterial oronasal masks. Unlike conventional models they actively and highly effectively eliminate viruses and bacteria thanks to the latest textile technologies. This is made possible by an environmentally friendly finishing that foregoes the use of silver and zinc. "The formula physically interrupts the cell membrane of the viruses and bacteria - so no development of resistance is possible. In this way 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria are eliminated within a very short time," says Maximilian Schönfließ - Business Development Manager of zwissTEX.

The zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC is particularly suitable when a mask is to be worn over a longer period of time - whether for school, concerts, trade fair visits or air travel. "The special feature of our zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC is that it can be worn for up to 12 hours without any problems due to the breathable material", says Schönfließ. "With it even sleeping is possible. And unlike disposable masks it can be washed up to 10 times at 30 degrees. Disposal by type is also possible".

With zwissCLEAN® masks, zwissTEX is a pioneer among manufacturers of antiviral and antibacterial oronasal masks. Unlike conventional models they actively and highly effectively eliminate viruses and bacteria thanks to the latest textile technologies. This is made possible by an environmentally friendly finishing that foregoes the use of silver and zinc. "The formula physically interrupts the cell membrane of the viruses and bacteria - so no development of resistance is possible. In this way 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria are eliminated within a very short time," says Maximilian Schönfließ - Business Development Manager of zwissTEX.

The zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC is particularly suitable when a mask is to be worn over a longer period of time - whether for school, concerts, trade fair visits or air travel. "The special feature of our zwissCLEAN MASK BASIC is that it can be worn for up to 12 hours without any problems due to the breathable material", says Schönfließ. "With it even sleeping is possible. And unlike disposable masks it can be washed up to 10 times at 30 degrees. Disposal by type is also possible".

The zwissCLEAN MASK COMFORT is recommended for daily protection at shopping, on public transport, at business appointments or similar events. It consists of a three-layer structure and combines efficient antiviral protection with long-term wearing comfort. The outer material and the integrated fleece promote protection against viruses and bacteria. The lower material made of organic cotton guarantees a lasting pleasant feeling on the skin. The mask can be washed up to 30 times, thus replacing up to 210 disposable masks and saving resources sustainably.

Source:

zwissTex

Coating expertise brings sustainable comfort and convenience to the face mask (c) A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG
The masks are based on 100% woven cotton and the active ingredients in the finish are a reaction mass of titanium dioxide and silver chloride
21.09.2020

Coating expertise brings sustainable comfort and convenience to the face mask

  • Gorilla Protect is a new company formed in May this year to promote the Catus face mask – a major leap forward in the effectiveness of personal protection products that are available to consumers in the fight against Covid-19.
  • Behind Catus and the new company is Nova Textil, the established fabric finishing company based in Grefrath, Germany, and now run by father and son team Rainer and Oliver Hurtz.

Single stenter

Rainer Hurtz founded Nova Textil with a single Monforts Montex stenter and just five employees in 1999 and has steered its constant development and growth over the past twenty years.

“Our initial focus was on the coating of mainly glass fibre fabrics, awnings and sun protection products for outdoor furnishings,” he said. “We had a great customer who was providing us with so many orders that by 2005 we took the decision to order a second Montex stenter, in a special configuration. This also allowed us to enter the market for blackout and digital printing fabrics. We’ve had a great ongoing relationship with Monforts from the beginning.”

  • Gorilla Protect is a new company formed in May this year to promote the Catus face mask – a major leap forward in the effectiveness of personal protection products that are available to consumers in the fight against Covid-19.
  • Behind Catus and the new company is Nova Textil, the established fabric finishing company based in Grefrath, Germany, and now run by father and son team Rainer and Oliver Hurtz.

Single stenter

Rainer Hurtz founded Nova Textil with a single Monforts Montex stenter and just five employees in 1999 and has steered its constant development and growth over the past twenty years.

“Our initial focus was on the coating of mainly glass fibre fabrics, awnings and sun protection products for outdoor furnishings,” he said. “We had a great customer who was providing us with so many orders that by 2005 we took the decision to order a second Montex stenter, in a special configuration. This also allowed us to enter the market for blackout and digital printing fabrics. We’ve had a great ongoing relationship with Monforts from the beginning.”

A third Montex stenter line was installed at the company’s Grefrath plant in 2015, by which time the company had grown to 40 people and a major new market had opened up in the supply of fabrics for promotional materials at exhibitions and trade shows.

“We had a fantastic two years in 2018 and 2019 and everything was going great for the first three months of this year, but in April it all came crashing down,” said Oliver Hurtz. “Coronavirus put an end to trade shows in 2020, which had a very serious impact on our business.”

At the same time, however, the company was exploring the potential of a new biocidal product from one of its chemicals suppliers which has both antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

Filtration

“We had already been producing coated fabrics for hot gas filtration and realised that in combination with this new microporous coating we had the basis for a very effective single-layer face mask,” Rainer said. “Achieving this with a single layer product rather than the usual three has resulted in a significant advance in comfort for the wearer and because the mask is able to disinfect itself and helps regulate humidity, it can be worn a number of times without needing to be washed, for greater convenience. It only needs to be washed when it gets dirty and can also be washed up to twenty times without losing its properties, which has to be preferable to single-use disposables.”

Catus face masks are based on 100% woven cotton and the active ingredients in the finish are a reaction mass of titanium dioxide and silver chloride certified to ISO 20743 for their antibacterial effect, and to ISO 18184 for their antiviral effect.

They are proven to  eliminate over  99.99% of the human coronavirus 229 E, with the multiplication of microorganisms such as germs and bacteria prevented by the biostatic action of silver salts and viruses destroyed by oxygen-releasing substances and a mechanism that attacks their fatty envelope. The virus membrane loses its cholesterol content and the virus is inactivated.

Colours

Gorilla Protect next plans to make the masks available in four colours – black, Bordeaux, olive and grey – and is also working on colour branding and printing labels.

“It’s not possible to print on the surface of the mask after it has been coated, but its is possible for volume orders to be printed before the treatment,” Oliver Hurtz said.

“Face masks are going to become an established part of life in the West like they are in Asia and need to be as comfortable and convenient as possible for the wearer,” his father concluded. “With these things in mind, we believe Catus is a significant step forward.”

Finally: the fast-acting, all-in-one, highly durable antibacterial and antiviral solution for textiles: RUCO®-BAC AGP. (c) RUDOLF GmbH
24.06.2020

Finally: the fast-acting, all-in-one, highly durable antibacterial and antiviral solution for textiles: RUCO®-BAC AGP.

  • RUDOLF GROUP is thrilled to unveil the perfected antiviral features embedded in RUCO®-BAC AGP, the Company’s flagship antimicrobial product for textile applications.

As a consequence of COVID-19 global pandemic the demand for chemical auxiliaries with antimicrobial effect has boomed. RUDOLF GROUP invested important resources in the meticulous assessment of a new antiviral feature which is now added to one of their leading technologies .

Such an effort returned the surprisingly fast and most comprehensive antibacterial and antiviral textile finishing on the market: RUCO®-BAC AGP.

History has led to great vision and innovation

The powerful antimicrobial effectiveness of RUCO®-BAC AGP is rooted in the extraordinary properties of silver, whose antimicrobial magic is lost in the mists of time. Already known by the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, water and milk were preserved by using silver coins through the early modern age.

  • RUDOLF GROUP is thrilled to unveil the perfected antiviral features embedded in RUCO®-BAC AGP, the Company’s flagship antimicrobial product for textile applications.

As a consequence of COVID-19 global pandemic the demand for chemical auxiliaries with antimicrobial effect has boomed. RUDOLF GROUP invested important resources in the meticulous assessment of a new antiviral feature which is now added to one of their leading technologies .

Such an effort returned the surprisingly fast and most comprehensive antibacterial and antiviral textile finishing on the market: RUCO®-BAC AGP.

History has led to great vision and innovation

The powerful antimicrobial effectiveness of RUCO®-BAC AGP is rooted in the extraordinary properties of silver, whose antimicrobial magic is lost in the mists of time. Already known by the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, water and milk were preserved by using silver coins through the early modern age.

R&D at RUDOLF GROUP has mounted silver on highly sophisticated, functional and registered microstructures that strengthen and amplify the qualities of this noble metal.

RUDOLF’s proprietary microstructures are the responsible hidden secret and key technical breakthrough behind both efficacy and durability of RUCO®-BAC AGP. This innovation is now the preferred solution to help reducing proliferation and cross-contamination of bacteria and enveloped-virus on textiles.

One gram of microstructures has the astonishing superficial area of about 60 m². The advantage of a much higher surface is that the consumption of resources and dosages can be minimized by the factor 100 and that makes RUCO®-BAC AGP a highly conscious choice.

“Due to the microstructures, a virtually infinite protective shield is created in the textile from which highly effective positive silver ions are set free in small, exactly dosed quantities” says Dr. Dirk Sielemann, R&D Director at Rudolf Group.

Taking performance to the next level

RUCO-BAC AGP effectively protects any textile against bacteria (harmful and odour-causing) and its superior antiviral performance on textiles has been independently demonstrated by applying the most modern testing methods. Assessments were carried out on enveloped Coronaviridae families known to cause a broad spectrum of animal and human diseases.

The microstructures in RUCO®-BAC AGP trigger their powerful antibacterial and antiviral effects based on 3 distinctive inhibiting mechanisms:
1.    Blocking of oxygen-transporting enzymes therefore leading to impaired growth;
2.    Crushing of disulfide bonds and therefore structure of sulphur-containing proteins.
3.    Possible interference with Bacteria and virus surface protein in the membrane.

RUCO®-BAC AGP is intended for the protection of the treated textiles and the microstructures of RUCO®-BAC AGP were studied thinking of performance and safety. It is suitable for next-to-skin applications and cytotoxicity tests show that RUCO®-BAC AGP has no influence on the natural microflora of the skin. Furthermore, because of the adhesion mechanism of its microstructures, RUCO®-BAC AGP is only active in/on the textile and it is non-migrating. 

“This year 202o is being highly emotional and it’s leading to the widespread introduction of antimicrobials on textile and to a myriad of vague, misleading or unsubstantiated marketing claims”, states Dr. Gunther Duschek, Managing Director at RUDOLF GROUP. He concludes “As a highly responsible company, we move cautiously and stand for technologies and practices that are effective, truthful and limit the exposure of apparel manufacturers, retailers and buyers to any risk”.

Source:

EFFE-BI SRL PR & COMMUNICATION

From left: Carlo Centonze, Dr. Thierry Pelet holding the first prototype of HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 treated face masks (c) HeiQ
From left: Carlo Centonze, Dr. Thierry Pelet holding the first prototype of HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 treated face masks
17.03.2020

HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 antiviral textile technology tested effective against Coronavirus

HeiQ, winner of the Swiss Technology Award and Swiss Environmental Award, launches HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03, an antiviral and antimicrobial textile treatment that is tested effective against coronavirus.

Since its inception 15 years ago, HeiQ has forged a solid innovation track record helping brands improve textile products. Catalyzed to action by the global fight against Coronavirus, HeiQ launches HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03, an antiviral and antimicrobial textile treatment which is proven effective against human coronavirus (229E) in face mask testing, significantly enhancing the antiviral log reduction from 2.90 of untreated face masks to 4.48, over 99.99% reduction of virus infectivity. (Remarks: a log reduction of 2 is equivalent to 100 times the effectiveness).

Chinese protective masks producer Suzhou Bolisi is the lead adopter of HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03. Treated masks will be available on the market as early as this April. American legwear manufacturer Kayser-Roth is planning to add the technology to their new product, Ghluv hands protector, while Lufeng from China is evaluating the technology on other types of fabric used for garments.

HeiQ, winner of the Swiss Technology Award and Swiss Environmental Award, launches HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03, an antiviral and antimicrobial textile treatment that is tested effective against coronavirus.

Since its inception 15 years ago, HeiQ has forged a solid innovation track record helping brands improve textile products. Catalyzed to action by the global fight against Coronavirus, HeiQ launches HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03, an antiviral and antimicrobial textile treatment which is proven effective against human coronavirus (229E) in face mask testing, significantly enhancing the antiviral log reduction from 2.90 of untreated face masks to 4.48, over 99.99% reduction of virus infectivity. (Remarks: a log reduction of 2 is equivalent to 100 times the effectiveness).

Chinese protective masks producer Suzhou Bolisi is the lead adopter of HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03. Treated masks will be available on the market as early as this April. American legwear manufacturer Kayser-Roth is planning to add the technology to their new product, Ghluv hands protector, while Lufeng from China is evaluating the technology on other types of fabric used for garments.

HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 is a unique combination of vesicle and silver technologies designed to inhibit the growth and persistence of bacteria and viruses. The HeiQ vesicle technology targets lipid- enveloped viruses, such as coronavirus, providing rapid virus deactivation, while the HeiQ silver technology inhibits the replication of both bacteria and viruses. HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 can be applied to a wide spectrum of textile surfaces including face masks, air filters, medical gowns, curtains, drapes and more. HeiQ also has a range of highly wash-durable antimicrobial and odor control textile technologies, called HeiQ Pure, combining silver-based and bio-based materials for all fabric types.

More information:
HeiQ Coronavirus
Source:

HeiQ