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Safety and protection

Protective clothing (turnout gear) for firefighters that is not treated with finishes based on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is not oil-repellent, reducing the protection it offers, ac

The US National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) has expressed concern over the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)’s lack of compliance to date with legislation mandating the purchase of

A modular laundry system that enables re-usable personal protective equipment (PPE) to be washed locally is being used for the first time by a hospital in the UK.

Technologies for improving the comfort, safety and functionality of suits that provide protection against direct contact with, and contamination by radioactive, biological and chemical substances (

When astronauts return to the Moon, they will take with them a new generation of spacesuits, currently being developed in Europe to protect their occupants from the harsh conditions of the lunar su

A flexible and lightweight aramid fibre has been launched for the production of soft armour by DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware, USA.

An antibacterial treatment based on citric acid and developed for application to textiles by Noble Biomaterials of Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, has been registered with the US Environmental Protect

Manufacturer of bedding products, Standard Fiber, is to use a silver-based antibacterial (Ionic+) from Noble Biomaterials in its home textiles, following the formation of an exclusive partnership b

Cotton textiles in which an antimicrobial agent is incorporated at a molecular level are being developed by a research team led by the University of Maryland (UMD) in College Park, USA.  

A method for precisely depositing a durable coating that can detect and neutralise toxic compounds onto fabrics is being developed by researchers at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA

A durable and sustainable antimicrobial treatment for cotton fabrics

Cotton fabrics can often provide the perfect conditions for the growth of bacteria that cause them to smell and, ultimately, degrade. Senior Technical Manager, Textiles, at Microban International, Yihong Li, describes a potential solution to this problem.

A chemical process that enables used polyester (PES)-based face masks to be converted into single- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is being developed by researchers at Swansea University in

A sensor that measures physical contact between a face mask and its wearer’s face, and can be applied to any kind of mask, is being developed by researchers in the USA, who say that it could be use

Two fabrics – one softshell and one hardshell – that are made from recycled materials and are readily recyclable themselves have been launched for the production of protective functional clothing b

Recycled items of personal protective equipment (PPE) – including face masks and gowns – are being used to improve the mechanical properties of concrete by researchers at RMIT University in Melbour

A method for producing self-sanitising face masks is being developed by researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, USA. 

Lyocell fibres from Lenzing are to be used by Westex to produce fabrics for workwear that protect from arc-flash and flash fires.  

Disinfection methods based on the use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation have little impact on the form or function of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 face masks(1), accordin

Researchers in the USA are developing a nanofibre mat that they say provides better protection from high-speed projectile impacts than steel plates and conventional aramid fabrics. 

A cost-effective and convenient way to apply a silver-based, clear antimicrobial coating to new and existing textiles is being developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo in Japan. 

A dry process for imparting antimicrobial properties to nonwovens has been developed by Paravir of Cambridge, UK.   

An inexpensive, non-toxic antimicrobial coating that can be applied easily to almost any fabric is being developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada.  

Technology for the recycling of waste plastic generated during the manufacture of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks, is to be developed in the UK. 

A coating that can be used to impart antibacterial and antiviral functionality to various types of surfaces, including textiles, has been developed by Nippon Shokubai of Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, and

Body armour featuring a perpetual cooling technology for textile- and foam-based products from Alexium International is to be commercialised by Premier Body Armor. 

Airbags for powered two-wheel vehicles, such as motorcycles and scooters, are to be developed by Autoliv Inc and the Piaggio Group, following the signing of a joint development agreement by the two

A range of antiviral technologies that can be applied to textiles and incorporated into fibres has been launched by Microban International of Huntersville, North Carolina, USA. 

Through extensive experiments and analysis, researchers at Rice University in Houston, Texas, USA, have shown that disposable face masks can be decontaminated by heating them at approximately 70°C

The passage of an infrastructure bill that will provide billions of dollars in spending to revitalise roads, bridges and railways in the USA, and help reconstitute a domestic supply chain for face

Standards that enable manufacturers of general-purpose face coverings to provide consistent products and inspire confidence in their customers have been launched by the American Association of Text

The developer of a cuprous antimicrobial film that can be applied to screen covers for mobile devices, doorhandles and push panels, and fabrics used for personal protective equipment (PPE) has rece

A range of industrial personal protective equipment (PPE) – including coveralls, gowns, caps, full hoods, shoe covers and boots – is to be unveiled at A+A by RadiciGroup of Gandino, Italy.

A treatment for textiles developed by Livinguard AG of Zug, Switzerland(1), has been shown to be effective a

The market for clothing that protects from chemicals is set to grow faster than many other performance-apparel segments, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%, during 2021–2026 according

An artificial leather treated with a long-lasting antibacterial agent has been launched by Teijin Cordley Ltd, a business unit of Teijin Frontier. 

Dutch PPE Solutions of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is producing meltblown filter media using a polypropylene (PP) manufactured from renewable feedstocks by Borealis of Vienna, Austria.  

Well-ventilated buildings and tight-fitting face masks will be essential to control the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic as variants of the SARS Cov-2 virus evolve to spread more effi

A waterborne coating that completely inactivates SARS Cov-2 – the virus responsible for the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic – and could be applied to face masks has been developed by

A fabric made of polyamide (PA) 6.6 fibres embedded with active zinc ions absorbs virus-containing moisture droplets and effectively inactivates 99% of virus particles – including the SARS Cov-

A chemical process that can render cotton fabrics resistant to fire without affecting the properties that make them comfortable to wear is being developed by researchers at Empa in Dübendorf, Switz

Developer of bio-based antimicrobial coatings for textiles, NordShield of Espoo, Finland, has secured investments totalling more than €4.2 million in its latest financing round, which concluded on

The Biden Administration has awarded a contract worth US$6.5 million for the supply of polyester (PES)-tipped swabs for home- and mass-testing kits, which are used in the fight against the human co

A range of interlinings, tapes and thermal insulation materials for workwear and protective clothing has been launched by Freudenberg Performance Materials of Weinheim, Germany. 

A coating for leather that can inactivate the SARS Cov-2 virus responsible for the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic has been developed by Brazilian companies JBS Couros and Nanox.  

A laboratory dedicated to the testing of face masks has been opened in Helsinki, Finland, by SGS. 

A line capable of producing 20 million surgical face masks a year is to be installed at Textilcord in Steinfort, Luxembourg. 

As populations look to protect themselves during the human coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, they are generating up to 7200 t of medical waste every day, much of which is accounted for by disposable

Insecticide-free clothing that prevents mosquitos from biting its wearer has been developed by researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, USA. 

An antimicrobial additive that has been proven effective against the 229E strain of human coronavirus (a surrogate for SARS-Cov-2, which is responsible for the human coronavirus (covid-19)

Wearable biosensors that can be customised to detect the presence of pathogens – such as the SARS Cov-2 virus responsible for the human coronavirus (covid 19) pandemic – and toxins, and al

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