A decade long
collaboration between Swiss textile innovator HeiQ and Spanish premium
synthetic fibre manufacturer Nylstar, has resulted in the innovation of a
revolutionary new premium antiviral and antimicrobial textile with zero
pollution sustainable benefits, Meryl® Skinlife Force powered by HeiQ Viroblock
Permanent, winner of ISPO Textrends Award for the Best Product.
With the commencement of
the pandemic, two leading textile innovators HeiQ and Nylstar pooled resources
developed over a decade long collaboration to create a premium synthetic fibre
that was sustainable, antimicrobial and durable, in short, the optimal fusion
of innovative ingredient into sustainably made materials. A record-breaking
development speed of just six months resulted in the launch of HeiQ Viroblock
Permanent, a new technology under the immensely successful HeiQ Viroblock
technology platform. The new technology is used exclusively on Meryl® Skinlife
Force, an innovative hi-tech fabric that combines the silver-ion active
principle antimicrobial properties developed by HeiQ and Nylstar’s
hydrogen-based technology which allows the creation of yarns with a very strong
molecular cohesion structure. The Hydrogen molecular structure makes Meryl®
Skinlife Force a high-performance fabric in terms of moisture management and
breathability, offering a natural stretch without elastane as well as excellent
durability thanks to its continuous and high tenacity filaments. The robust
durability of HeiQ Viroblock Permanent is achieved thanks to the silver
particles being added directly into the raw polymer of the yarn thereby keeping
these properties active for the lifetime of garments. Fabric samples
successfully demonstrated a very strong antimicrobial efficacy with over 99.99
per cent reduction of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria after 100
washes. Antiviral test is underway.
“With the launch of HeiQ
Viroblock Permanent on this premium fabric that can be implemented in
environments with high hygienic and sanitary requirements such as medical,
hospitality and sports, HeiQ and Nylstar aim to make a strong social
contribution to stemming the spread of the global pandemic and for
post-pandemic use, delivering on our mission to improve lives of billions of
people,†said Carlo Centonze, co-founder
and CEO of HeiQ.