Abstract
Clothing with anti-odour properties is one of the fastest growing segments of
the performance apparel market - reflecting the desire of consumers for
hygiene, freshness and a general sense of well-being. Moreover, in certain
apparel categories - including sportswear, underwear, socks and footwear
linings - antimicrobial finishing is rapidly becoming a standard treatment.
Most anti-odour technologies for clothing are based on chemical treatments or
the presence of silver, which has inherent antibacterial properties. However,
the use of natural anti-odour materials, such as bamboo fibre, is rising at
the expense of more established technologies, reflecting growing demand among
consumers for eco-friendly products.
Over the past five years, new technologies have emerged which hold the promise
of delivering more effective protection against odour in clothing. In
particular, advances in nanotechnology have led to the introduction of fabrics
containing silver nanoparticles, and these are penetrating the market rapidly.
Such fabrics have been widely embraced by sportswear manufacturers although
environmentalists have raised concerns about their effects on the environment
and human health.
Amid these concerns, researchers and scientists are stepping up efforts to
devise a method of producing self-cleaning apparel which would eliminate the
need for laundering and antimicrobial finishing. However, it is likely to take
some time before such apparel reaches mainstream consumers.
In the meantime, as anti-odour clothing is regarded as a luxury rather than a
necessity, the market may struggle to grow over the next two or three years as
a result of the economic slump.
Table of Contents
SUMMARY
- INTRODUCTION
- TYPES AND SOURCES OF ODOUR FOUND IN CLOTHING
- EFFECTS OF MICRO-ORGANISMS ON HUMAN HEALTH
- EFFECTS OF MICRO-ORGANISMS ON FABRICS
- TECHNIQUES FOR AVOIDING OR ELIMINATING ODOUR IN CLOTHING
- Laundering
- Choosing appropriate fabrics
- Incorporating odour-absorbing and odour-masking agents
- Cyclodextrin
- Activated carbon
- Fragrances
- Incorporating natural anti-odour materials
- Bamboo
- Chitosan
- Incorporating antimicrobial agents
- METHODS OF IMPARTING ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES TO FABRICS
- ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS USED IN TEXTILES AND CLOTHING
- Main types of antimicrobial agents used for textiles and clothing
- Organic antimicrobial agents
- Inorganic antimicrobial agents
- REQUIREMENTS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS USED FOR CLOTHING
- ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY TESTING AND REGULATION
- Efficacy testing
- Testing standards
- Regulations
- SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIMICROBIAL
- AGENTS
- MARKETS FOR ANTI-ODOUR FABRICS
- Key applications
- Market size
- KEY PRODUCERS OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
- Agis Environments: Agis Microbe Shield
- Agion Technologies: Agion
- Arch Chemicals: Purista
- Halosource: Haloshield
- Microban International: Microban
- Milliken & Company: Alphasan
- NanoHorizons: SmartSilver
- Sanitized: Sanitized
- KEY PRODUCERS OF ANTIMICROBIAL FIBRES
- Noble Biomaterials: X-static
- Thai Acrylic Fibre: Amicor
- Toray Industries: Mushon
- Trevira: Trevira Bioactive
- SELF-CLEANING CLOTHES
- OUTLOOK
List of tables
- Table 1: Commonly used standard tests for assessing antimicrobial efficacy
- Table 2: Properties of AlphaSan
List of figures
- Figure 1: Bacterial growth curve
- Figure 2: Agion: the ion exchange process
- Figure 3: X-static fabric
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