Silver finish
Also known as: Silver antimicrobial finish
Finish with silver ions or nano-silver that inhibits odour bacteria on the skin and extends freshness.
Description
Silver finish refers to antimicrobial finishes where silver ions or nano-silver particles are permanently embedded in or applied to the textile fibre. Silver acts against a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi as silver ions bind to cell membranes and enzymes and disrupt cell division. For sports and functional wear this means the typical sweat odour caused by skin bacteria decomposition is significantly reduced.
Well-known processes include X-STATIC (Noble Biomaterials), Polygiene (durable silver chloride coating) and Ionic+ (silver-coated nylon filaments knitted into fabric). Polygiene's effect lasts the entire garment life (up to 100 washes), simpler coatings 20-30 washes.
The environmental balance is debated: nano-silver can enter wastewater during washing and inhibit nitrifying bacteria in treatment plants. That is why the EU chemicals regulation BPR requires approvals for biocidal textile finishes. Silver finishes are widespread on sportswear, functional underwear and socks.
Properties
| Process | Silver-ion coating or Ag-nylon |
|---|---|
| Result | Antimicrobial, low odour, wash-durable |
| Colour fastness | Not affected |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Polygiene Odour Control polygiene.com https://polygiene.com/
- Wikipedia: Antimikrobielles Textil Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimikrobielle_Textilien
