Earlier this year, the Chinese SQ Group, together with the Hong Kong Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI), invented an ultra-effective antimicrobial fabric that kills 100% of SARS-CoV-2 particles landing on it.
Actually, the textile — dubbed Nano-VTS — is effective in killing three out of seven known coronaviruses that affect humanity:
- SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of COVID-19)
- SARS-CoV (SARS)
- HCoV-229E (the common cold)
Tests performed by the British Virology Research Services (VRS) show that it takes as little as 5 minutes for 90% of the virus load to be inactivated when it lands on Nano-VTS. And within two hours, the effectiveness is an astonishing 99.99%!
What’s more, the bioactivity of this innovative textile is primarily due to its structure; it’s a biopolysaccharide, not a chemical coating. Hence, it’s 99% effective even after 30 washes.
To no great surprise, it’s already being authorized for the production of face masks and other protective garments, such as seat covers on public transportations and hospital bedding (sheets and comforters).
If the fabric hits the shelves any time soon, you might want to bring your own pillow when you get your shot to ward off any infection.
In any case, this fabric is not the only antiviral textile solution. In autumn last year, the Albini Group and the Swiss company HeiQ introduced the so-called VROFORMULA fabric.
Namely, it’s materials like these that bring renewed hope for hotel chains in the hospitality industry — most plan on buying Nano-VTS pillows, sheets, and even mattress toppers for their guests.
But the question remains — will these new-gen fabrics help us beat COVID-19 and grant us some of our pre-pandemic freedom back?
Experts believe it can!
As for antiviral clothing, scientists believe that it will have more of a positive psychological effect on people rather than a protective one since airborne transmission is the main way of getting infected.
