TEXTILES.ORG
Inner Mettle (IM) has launched its latest product, IM ViroBac fabric, developed to reduce the risk of viral and bacterial transmission via surface contact applicable to a multitude of situations in a commercial environment, such as public transport, medical facilities and hospitality. The company says that testing has shown the fabric can reduce the human coronavirus by 97.5 percent within 30 minutes.
Inner Mettle stresses not to confuse the human Coronavirus (229E strain) with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which is not available for public testing as this point in the pandemic, as the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has categorized the virus at a biohazard level 3 and above.
“High touch surfaces, such as seats, bedding, curtains, could all play a more protective role, rather than a source of contamination, by reducing the amount of risk on touch,” said the Executive Director of Inner Mettle (IM), Inam Saleem.
Thanks to its versatility, the soft fabric can be used to produce consumer products, such as gloves and masks, so much in need during the pandemic.
In order to confirm the viral efficacy of Inner Mettle’s ViroBac technology, the company recently commissioned an independent EPA and FDA regulated laboratory to put its IM ViroBac fabric through rigorous testing against a strain of the human coronavirus family.
“We wanted to provide our partners with continued confidence in the efficacy of our technology, and are proud to announce the results revealing its efficacy guarding against the Human Coronavirus (229E), with a reduction of 97.5 percent within 30 minutes,” Saleem said.
“Viruses are different from bacteria as they require living host cells in order to survive, whereas bacteria and mold can thrive independently. As a result of this difference, viruses are much more difficult to test against, especially for solid surface testing. Specialist equipment is needed, and the methods utilize living cells in order to test the viruses,” he added.
Inner Mettle was founded in the U.K. to develop high-end apparel that provides superior functional benefits, while considering the socio-economic and environmental implications. The company’s mission is to use innovation for good.