SALT LAKE CITY – [23.07.09] Agion Technologies is building on its position as the only antimicrobial treatment manufacturer to hold Cradle to Cradle environmental certification at the Gold Level with a new treatment that includes ‘industrial-strength’ odour elimination.
Agion’s existing chemical-free, silver-based antimicrobial technology fights bad smells by killing the bacteria that cause them like other silver-based anti-microbial products. However, the new Agion Active is said to go one step further by adding a new technology based on zeolite adsorbent crystals that pull in ambient odours to eliminate them. Basically, negatively charged silver ions are bound onto a zeolite carrier, which is applied to the textile fibre during the finishing process.
When the coated fibre comes into contact with conditions that support bacterial growth, positive ions (eg, sodium), in ambient moisture, exchange with silver ions at reversible bonding sites on the zeolite. The exchanged silver ions are now available to control microbial growth.
The silver ions attack the physiology of microbe to prevent it from multiplying and creating the associated odour problems on the textile. Agion says the new treatment can be used in any fabric where unwanted smells are an issue including sportswear, uniforms, tents, sleeping bags, pet beds, carpets and even casual wear.
Agion says because the treatment is applied during the finishing step of the textile manufacturing process it can give cost-savings and greater flexibility by allowing them to easily shift from one colour or style to another without building up inventory.
In addition, Agion claims a breakthrough in treating white materials. Its patented approach keeps white fabrics white during manufacture with no discolouration – a common drawback until now with other silver-based antimicrobials.
However, the use of silver applications on textiles does have its critics with some retailers preferring to use anti-microbial treatments that do not use silver and those that are non-leaching [although many silver treatments also claim to be non-leaching].