Understanding antimicrobial fabric in 5 minutes

Antimicrobial fabric has gained much popularity in the mass consumer market in recent years for its anti-odor and anti-mould properties. Antimicrobial fabrics are particularly appropriate for sportswear and outdoor gear such as tents, backpacks and shoes. Before you join other brands and retailers offering antimicrobial textile products, how much do you know about the fabric, and what do you need to pay attention to?

To figure out what antimicrobial fabric is, we need to first understand microorganisms.

A microorganism is a broad term that refers to microscopic organisms including bacteria, virus and fungi. In our daily life, infectious bacteria and subsequently viruses can make us sick, while fungi cause mould. Bacteria and fungi can live in non-live environments for varied periods of time, but viruses require living organism in order to grow.

Bacteria exist on our sweatshirts, leggings or socks – after wearers’ sweating, they feed on moisture and create odor. Fungi on textiles also lead to mould easily.

In critical environments like hospitals, clinics and laboratories, virus transmission from a gown to a wearer or from bed linen to a healthcare professional could be a matter of life and death. Antiviral finishes are commonly used in these circumstances.

With advancement in technology, different finishes can be applied to fabrics for varying antimicrobial properties. It is important to note that antimicrobial is another broad term – referring to three functions; slowing down the growth rate of microorganisms, stopping the growth of microorganisms, or killing some or all microorganisms on a fabric. For mass consumer textile products, it is usually the first two antimicrobial functions that provide anti-odour and anti-mould properties.

Since being introduced to the market, anti-odour and anti-mould products have quickly captured the heart of many consumers who are health-conscious. After all, who doesn’t want to feel fresh still after a heavy workout?

When planning to sell antimicrobial products, assessing associated properties is an essential step in ensuring customer satisfaction.

The most common and widely acknowledged assessment methods are AATCC 100:2004 and AATCC 147 for antibacterial on textiles. AATCC 100:2004 provides quantitative figures on the percentage of bacteria reduction in 24 hours by measuring bacteria population on test and control fabrics. AATCC 147, on the other hand, gives qualitative results by clear zone observation after incubation.

As for antimould assessment on textiles, AATCC 30:2004 is most commonly used. This test method determines the susceptibility of textile materials to mildew and rot, and evaluates the efficacy of fungicides on textile materials. This test legitimizes antimould claims on fabrics and evaluates any potential problems that may occur as a result of mould during the transport or storage of textile products.

Apart from assessment of textile products, at Eurofins, we offer ASTM E2149:2010 to evaluate antimicrobial properties of non-textile products. This test method is designed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of non-leaching, antimicrobial-treated specimens under dynamic contact conditions. The test method enables evaluation of many different types of treated substrates and a wide range of microorganisms. It is applicable to various contamination instances such as hard water, proteins, blood, serum, various chemicals and other contaminants.

When you look at new materials to incorporate in next season’s collection, understanding the materials, and how effectively they perform against the claims they make, is critical. In the industry, there are currently no regulatory requirements in relation to performance claims, including antimicrobial properties, conducting proactive assessment is an important way to protect your brand, and prevent consumers dissatisfaction and brand damage.