Sanitized gives new dimension to odour-management

SANITIZED AG has presented a new unique dimension to odour-management for functional polyester textiles. The newly developed wash-resistant Sanitized® odouractiv 10 has a dual-action effect: on the one hand it prevents the bacteria from docking on the textile, and on the other, it adsorbs odours whilst the garment is being worn. The underlying technology that has been further developed was awarded the Swiss Technology Award.

Manufacturers of functional polyester textiles from all over the world face the same challenge: freshly washed garments develop an unpleasant odour even after a short wearing period. The cause of this undesirable effect is not the human perspiration itself, but the bacteria that break down the perspiration. This process of decomposition generates the characteristic sweet, pungent smell. Once the bacteria, or the odour molecules, have penetrated into the surface of the polyester textile, they remain there permanently. Machine wash cycles and special detergents will never completely eliminate them. The bacterial colonization produces a biofilm on the polyester, which not only causes unpleasant odours, but also has a negative impact on the properties of the material.

This is exactly where the new, dual-action technology from SANITZED AG comes into play: the surface of the textile is "coated" with Sanitized odouractiv 10 in the padding process. This creates a protective film on the surface of the textile. The bacteria use this anti-adhesive protective film as the basis for latching onto the garment. The bacteria can therefore be completely washed out in a normal wash cycle, consequently preventing any biofilm from forming. An anti-adhesion test method was developed in cooperation with EMPA to prove this Wash Effect.

The second advantage: Sanitized odouractiv 10 has a high adsorbing effect. odours are "trapped" and removed during a normal wash cycle. The new product is the result of a technology that has been further developed and was awarded the Swiss Technology Award. The odour adsorption is identified using GC-MS.

As the Product Manager at SANITIZED AG, Urs Zihlmann, succinctly puts it: "Sanitized odouractiv 10 marks the end of permastink in polyester textiles.”