Page 77 - February-March-2017

New functional fabrics 77 77

against dust mites

The William-Küster-Institute for Hygiene, Environment
and Medicine at the Hohenstein Institute has now
tested a new product made by Proneem France,
which contains alternative active ingredients but
proved highly effective against mites. In a test in
accordance with NF G39-011, Proneem finish by
Proneem France was able to inhibit the growth of a
mite population by over 90% and was therefore
awarded the Hohenstein quality label Effective against
Dust Mites.

“This shows that the Hohenstein test for effectiveness
against dust mites in accordance with standard NF
G39-011 is also suitable for alternative, perme-
Mites of different sizes on a textile thrin-free finishing treatments and offers textile
Permethrin is a widely-used substance for treating manufacturers a way of developing optimised
textiles against mites. However, the neurotoxin may bedding and home textiles that will reduce the symp-
also cause undesirable side effects, such as head- toms of house dust allergy-sufferers,” the Institute
aches or deafness, in humans. explains.

New revolutionary New conductive material
technology for

moisture for smart apparel
management

in textiles Noble Biomaterials, a leader in conductive solutions durability using Bemis Sewfree Bonding.
for smart textiles applications, has collaborated with
Bemis Associates to develop a seamless, Circuitex is made by permanently bonding pure
conductive advanced material that allows for simple silver – nature’s most conductive element – to the
Five textile industry leaders have joined forces to ture management. and durable integration of electronics into apparel. surface of a textile fibre or fabric. The bond creates
launch HYDRO_BOT, a new technology for moisture a continuous layer of silver, yet retains the flexibility,
management, designed to solve one of the biggest “HYDRO_BOT is the result of ten years of intense The fully-bonded, conductive material is engineered comfort and durability of the textile material, the
challenges in sports, work and protective clothing: research and development in Switzerland. Over the with Noble’s Circuitex technology and is said to manufacturer reports.
transportation of moisture to match human sweat past two years, the development has reached a provide for the detection, transmission and
rates in various climates, conditions and activity new level with four strategic partners involved in the protection of electronic signals in a soft and flexible Products using Circuitex can provide a great range of
levels. development effort. We are confident that format. Its unique construction has been developed data streams (ECG, EMG, strain, pressure mapping),
HYDRO_BOT will represent a generational advance- to provide designers with complete freedom to as well as allowing for active power delivery (lighting,
The idea behind the HYDRO_BOT belongs to ment in moisture management,” said Trond Heldal, design smart garments with integrated stretch and electro-muscle stimulation, basic power).
Osmotex, a Swiss-Norwegian start-up dedicated to Director of R&D and Operations at Osmotex and
developing solutions for electro osmosis for mois- the lead researcher.