A Brief on the objectives of antibacterial finishes on clothes.
What is an antimicrobial fabric?
Antimicrobial fabric is a type of fabric or any textile that offers protection against bacteria, mold, mildew, and various other microbes that is harmful. This type of textiles fights microbes and prevents their development as well as promotes the movement of moistures which results in the maximization of comfort. This technology also extends the life of the fabric.
Antibacterial finishes on fabrics.
The antimicrobial agents are very useful textile additives and it has become more common in the current products that are being manufactured. This type of product provides textiles with extreme resistance to bad odors caused by microorganisms, often without distracting the fabric from its appearance or feel to the body. Please in the social price of active lifestyles the demand for these kinds of fabrics with certain technology has gained a greater audience than ever. This antibacterial finish on textile is a life-changing key in the world of sports and commercial. In the medical world also it is very important. Some powerful antimicrobial textiles have the power to prevent infections by killing the contaminants of public health concern. It is very important to check whether the antimicrobial agent is woven into the textile as a thread-like structure or is applied to the textile surface as a liquid. This testing is very critical to ensure the performance of the fabric hence laundering is the main source of fabric degradation and companies are often requesting for standardizing the laundering before the aatcc 100 antibacterial finishes on fabrics
The objective of antibacterial finishes on clothes are:
- It controls the microorganisms.
- It reduces the odor from perspiration, stains as well as other soil on textile material.
- It helps to reduce the risk of cross-infection that is being carried by feet from word to word in hospitals.
- To control the spreading of diseases and the danger that follows with the injury.
- And to control the deterioration of the textile fabrics that are made from natural fibers created by mildew.
The requirements for the antibacterial finish on the fabric.
Textile materials in particular as well as the governments are more susceptible to wear and tear. This is the reason why it is important to check on the impact of the stress staying thermal and mechanical effects on the complete substrates. The followings need to be fulfilled to get the maximum benefit out of the finished goods:
- To check with durability to washing, dry cleaning and hot pressing.
- To check the selected activity for undesirable microorganisms.
- To check whether the fabric is producing any harmful effect on the manufacturer, user, and the environment.
- It should agree with the statutory requirements provided by the regular agencies.
- Check whether it is compatible with the chemical processes.
- To check whether there is any deterioration of the fabric quality or it is resistant to the body fluids.
- To check whether there is resistance to disinfectants as well as sterilizations.
What is AATCC 100?
The aatcc 100 antibacterial finishes on fabrics is a test method that helps in the evaluation of the antibacterial properties of the textile over a 24-hour period of contact that quantitatively assesses the bacteriostatic or the growth inhibition of the bacteria and also the bacterial properties. This method helps in ensuring the continuity in the approach and the replicability of the results.
What are the stages of AATCC 100?
The AATCC 100 test method consists of six major stages :
- First the preparation of samples
- Sterilization of the samples
- Inoculation
- Incubation
- Washing or shaking out the samples
- And lastly, counting.
For a clear indication of the antimicrobial properties, the organisms are incubated in favorable conditions.
What are the advantages of the AATCC 100 test method?
- The AATCC 100 method is quantitative as well as it also results to be reproducible. The quantitative results can help in determining the usage and the marketability of the tested textile.
- This method helps in testing both growths in inhibiting properties and bacteria-killing properties of the textile.
- These microbial concentrations are standardized and the bacteria are provided with the nutrients during their incubation period which helps in providing the bacterias with ample opportunity to grow within the fabrics in case the fabrics are not sufficiently antimicrobial.
What are the disadvantages of the AATC 300 test method?
- This method has minimum success criteria, which means whether or not the tested fabric qualifies as ‘antimicrobial’, may finally be decided by the company that is sponsoring the study.
- The Antimicrobial fabric tests can also become cumbersome in case the test fabric does not absorb the liquids.
The AATCC 100 or the antimicrobial fabric test might have some minor drawbacks but the process is an excellent way to quantify the antimicrobial activity level of an antimicrobial fabric. This type of testing activity on fabrics has emerged according to the textile industry’s standards.
Conclusion.
International standard specifies that the quantitative test methods are to determine the antibacterial activity of the antibacterial finish textile products that include nonwovens. It is appropriate for all textile products for example cloth, wadding, thread and material for clothing as well as home furnishing goods independently of the type antibacterial agent used or the method of application.
With the development of new technologies, the growing needs of the customer demand the wake of health and hygiene that can be fulfilled without compromising the issues that are related to the safety of the human health and the environment. Hence the consumers choosing a hygienic lifestyle and this leads to the rise of anti-bacterial fabric products.
Also read — Everything you need to know about antiviral testing labs.
