It has been some time now that we have seen silver being used in clothing manufacturing. Many clothing manufacturers are using silver nanoparticles as a treatment for their clothing, claiming them to be anti-bacterial. Really? Well let’s take a look.
Silver ions on the surface of a textile binds with any particles that come into contact with the textile. If said particle was a bacteria particle, it would interrupt the bacteria cell’s ability to form chemical bonds – which are essential to maintaining its physical structure. Hence the bacteria literally crumbles upon contact with the silver ions on the surface. This also means bacteria is unable to build a resistance to silver.
So far we have only been talking about bacteria. Silver has also been used as an antimicrobial agent, referring to mould, fungus AND bacteria. That means the textile will be bacteria, fungus and mould resistant!
Compared to most other antimicrobial finishes, silver antimicrobial finish lasts longer as well. In one study, cotton samples were tested to be able to reduce S. aureus and E. coli cell counts by 97% and 91% respectively. After 20 wash cycles, they were tested again and still able to reduce S. aureus and E. coli cell counts by 94% and 85% respectively.
Hence its use in sports wear and military gear, where the textile will often times be drenched in sweat. This can also be useful in the medical industry for people who often work with microbes and other such fine particles. The prevention of spread of infectious bacteria and microbes is essential for their line, making silver finish a godsend for them.
sources: fibre2fashion.com apparelsearch.com
