TEXTILES.ORG
Ascend Performance Materials’ Acteev Protect™ antimicrobial, odor-resisting fabric technology has been named a winner in the 2021 Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards.
Acteev Protect was chosen out of a record number of submissions for its performance across four criteria:
- Spark: concept, design, appeal
- Desire: opportunity, differentiation
- Function: innovation, functionality, insight
- Impact: cultural, environmental, business
Nikki Huffman, the principal business development leader for the Acteev™ textile group, accepted the award at a virtual ceremony held during the Outdoor Retailer Winter Online tradeshow.
Acteev is made with a patent-pending technology that embeds zinc ions in a polymer to create long-lasting antimicrobial properties. The result is a fabric that the company says destroys odor-causing bacteria and fungi. Acteev yarns and fabrics are abrasion-resistant, soft and durable. Because the zinc ions are embedded during the polymerization process, knit and woven articles made with Acteev retain their antimicrobial efficacy for up to 50 washings.
Testing on knit fabric completed at the University of Cambridge demonstrated that Acteev technology deactivates SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, with 99.9 percent efficacy on contact. Ascend is working with governmental agencies to obtain the appropriate regulatory clearances to make specific claims in the U.S. regarding the technology’s antiviral properties.
Outdoor Retailer’s Innovation Awards recognize new and groundbreaking technologies used in winter apparel, outdoor and sports products and materials.