The Skinny on Stink

What You Need to Know about Antimicrobials.

Here’s a textile riddle: “What technology do you know you want but don’t know what it means?” If you responded “antimicrobial” give yourself a pat on the back for a correct answer. However, if you can also define the term antimicrobial, then you deserve a gold star. Because these days the antimicrobial category has become so crowded with technologies, described in all sorts of ways, claiming all kinds of benefits, that it is confusing as to what antimicrobial really is.

When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came down hard on The North Face last year it turned up the volume on antimicrobials — a proposed fine of over $1 million will have that effect. But the incident also brought to light how cavalierly certain terms are being used in the market and the ramifications of mis-communication.

In The North Face case the EPA focused on marketing claims describing a silver-treated footbed. The phrases, “inhibits growth of disease-causing bacteria” and “prevents bacterial and fungal growth,” caught the attention of the Agency. The EPA looked to fine TNF for violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (PDF). (Any product that claims to kill or repel bacteria or germs is considered pesticides and therefore must be registered with the EPA prior to sale.)

In defense of VF Corp., parent company of The North Face, reading an EPA claims statement is no easy task. As one supplier noted, “Sometimes it feels like you need a degree in chemistry or be a regulatory expert in order to understand what’s going on.”

“The crux of the confusion is there is little difference in claim differentiation under the EPA but there is dramatic difference in performance,” says Joel Furey, chief commercial officer, Noble BioMaterials. “We try to bring to the industry an understanding of the benefits of this type of technology,” says Furey, a pioneer the category with the introduction of X-Static. “That can be odor management or bacterial management. But the key is what benefit do you look to provide to the end user?”

Others agree that current confusion results from the range of antimicrobials now available. “The topic is complicated enough and there are so many claims,” says Nate Simmons, marketing director, Polartec. “Consumers want it, and value it, but the technologies are inconsistent.”

So, what do you need to know? Are there simple guidelines to follow? And how do you choose the best product for your particular needs?

Executives from leading antimicrobial suppliers weighed in on the subject, and while managers may debate the merits of different technologies, all agree that keeping things straightforward and simple is the best way to get a handle on this category. According to managers at Aegis, Concept III, Noble, Polartec and NanoHorizons areas of importance include: performance, testing, registration and safety. Focusing on these factions should explain how and why a product works and whether it is the right technology for the end use.

Performance Parameters

Regardless of your position on silver, how the product performs is paramount. Elements to keep in mind when considering an antimicrobial are 1) how broad spectrum the technology — in other words the range of bacteria and fungi impacted;
2) how quickly the technology performs — this can vary from one hour to several hours; and 3) how long the technology lasts — it’s overall durability.

“You want a clear line of communication with your customers,” says Furey. “You want to work with a company that has a leadership position in the category and can give guidance.”

Furey adds, “The bottom line is, there is no single technology that fits everybody’s needs. There isn’t a single technology for every application and price point.”

His company’s current approach is specificity, introducing new technologies that have targeted end uses. For example a new Static MVT+ will launch with Spyder. The product was developed specifically for use in outerwear with membrane construction. This follows on the heels of a partnership with 3M for a new product called 3M
Thinsulate Supreme XTS with X-Static designed to manage odor in insulated products. The company was called Noble Fiber Technologies until 2005 when it took over the business of sister company Sauquoit Industries, which had been the manufacturer of X-Static while Noble Fiber marketed.

Execs also say it is important to know whether the product is properly registered with the EPA. “Understand the EPA guidelines for textiles, (“antibacterial” is not EPA approved for textiles for example) and the goal of inhibiting growth so that a garment or item that is clean stays clean,” explains Dr. James Delattre, VP global marketing, NanoHorizons Inc. The company markets nanoscale silver antimicrobial additives, developed and made in the U.S., under the SmartSilver brand name.

Nathan Smith, Aegis industry manager elaborates, “According to the EPA, you cannot make any public health claims and you can only make claims about the item you have treated.”

Smith says to learn what the technology is made out of and how is it tested. “Asking about testing will let you know how, and if, the technology really works.” He adds that knowing a product’s “safety profile” is also important.
Aegis is a non-leaching, bonded technology. The technology was developed in mid-70s by Dow Corning for architectural use. In 1990 Aegis formed as an independent company continuing with the same focus from 1990 to 1996. At that point the approach shifted to textiles, with programs in socks, baselayer and footwear.

Safety & Testing

In recent years third party certification has become increasingly important in the textile field, and the same is becoming true in the antimicrobial category. Delattre, for instance, suggests that a product be Okeo-Tex approved.

“Through sophisticated toxicology this assures that product has no harmful substances,” he states.

Others highlight the significance of bluesign certification. “bluesign is a big deal because every eco-focused company is aware of bluesign, and puts stock in bluesign, so it is meaningful to brands and key retailers,” says Simmons, who explains that Polartec is ramping up cooperation with Polygiene, a Swedish company offering a bluesign approved silver-salt based odor resist technology.

“Silver is an exceptional odor resist technology and we’re thrilled to have found a bluesign approved option. I believe their bluesign status has potential to get a lot of historically anti-silver brands to take another look at it,” Simmons states.

The product is represented by Concept III and according to president David Parkes, Polygiene is getting a good reception from brands. Already established in Europe, Polygiene has been adopted by Outdoor Research for Fall 11 and another dozen or so outdoor companies are interested.

Parkes says the bluesign certification is significant; however, additional features also differentiate Polygiene. “The product acts like a contraceptive to bacteria. It encapsulates and does not allow bacteria to germinate. It is arresting development. So there is no odor. “We promote anti-odor/odor control, because that is what consumers are experiencing.”

He adds that the process can be introduced in various ways including at the yarn stage, at finished fabric and at finished garment. A Polygiene product for the wash cycle of laundering exists, too.

Polygiene will be a focus of a morning seminar during Outdoor Retailer co-sponsored by AATCC and Concept III, entitled Understanding How Performance Textiles Work: The Payoff of Added Value. Mike Sweet, Director of Technical Development for Polygiene AB, makers of Polygiene Active Odor Control Technology, will review methods of odor control, how odor is formed, test methods, claims that can be made, and why odor control is so important to today’s market.

Agion is taking a novel approach to testing with a recently launched marketing campaign targeted at athletes of all skill levels. Consumers can visit http://www.stinkatnothing.com and sign up to receive shirts treated with Agion Active technology and then share the results of their own personal “stink tests.”

“When we developed Agion Active, we created an anti-stink technology that is ultimately the perfect treatment for apparel, because it finally delivers what all of us really want — complete confidence that we don’t stink,” said Paul Ford, chief executive officer of Agion Technologies.

“We stand behind our invention and challenge athletes from every walk of life to give it their best shot. We’re hoping to create the greatest sniff panel ever assembled, and prove that clothing and gear treated with Agion Active will pass the smell test even after the most extreme work-outs.”

For the Long Run

An important “need to know” characteristic when judging the quality of an antimicrobial is the product’s durability or “longevity” or “lifecycle.” “If the technology washes out quickly then it is non-beneficial,” comments DeLattre, who is a member of two industry groups established in response to market confusion: the Silver Nanotech Working Group and the the U.S. Silver Task Force. DeLattre encourages manufacturers to test garments themselves and not rely on others claims when it comes to durability.

Aegis Microbe Shield technology is integrated into textile products at the manufacturer and lasts as long as the products themselves, according to Smith. Because Aegis never leaves, it is always there providing the protection expected. Polygiene is permanent to 100 washes, according to Parkes.

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