Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1497119
and functionality and an increase in environmental risks. e University of Minnesota team found a solution to those problems by developing a proprietary thermal Crescoating technology that grows zinc nanoparticles into fibers to create a stable nanocomposite with enhanced function and durability and minimal environmental impact. e process is surprisingly simple. Textiles are soaked in an aqueous ionic precursor solution of zinc salt for 30 minutes at room temperature, then heated in a convection oven at 100 degrees Celsius for four hours to evaporate water and spur seed formation and nucleation of the nanoparticles. Unbound precipitate is washed away using the home laundering method recommended by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC). is process can be used on a variety of fabrics, including silk, synthetic polyester, nylon-cotton and polyester-cotton blends. How Metals Matter Silver has been used to fight microbes for more than 100 years. at may be why silver was among the first metals used to make antimicrobial textiles and why the silver market share of antimicrobial textiles rose from nine percent in 2004 to 25 percent in 2011. More recently, copper and zinc have been used to make nanocomposite textiles that are as effective as silver in killing 99.9 percent of viruses, bacteria and fungi. "Claros uses zinc, because it is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and is commonly used in consumer products, from food to cosmetics," Brockgreitens said, adding that its zinc nanocomposite textiles were found to be nonirritating and hypoallergenic in third-party testing by Evalulabs, LLC. It also helps that zinc has higher allowable limits in water. The Environment a l Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of secondary drinking water regulations, which are non-enforceable guidelines of contaminants. The guideline is 0.10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for silver, 1.0 mg/L for copper and 5.0 mg/L for zinc. Zinc nanocomposite textiles are proven to maintain their properties for the life of the product. Pace Analytical, LLC, a third- party testing company, tested the durability of textiles treated with Crescoating. Samples of several types of nanocomposite cotton fabrics were subjected to the synthetic precipitation leachate procedure (SPLP). e highest initial leachate concentration was much lower than 250,000 part per billion (ppb), the soluble threshold limit concentration (STLC) value for California, the state with the strictest limits. e zinc nanocomposite cotton fabric was washed 100 times with negligible leaching or loss in performance. Similarly, a leaching study conducted at Intertek Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. in Sri Lanka showed minimal to no leaching of the active zinc in sweat and saliva. n SUBSCRIBE: STORE.FORMULA4MEDIA.COM ORIGINAL CONTENT. MARKET SPECIFIC. YOUR NICHE IS OUR NICHE. DIGITAL NEWSLETTERS TEAM INSIGHT EXTRA Published 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month. teaminsightextra.com FOOTWEAR INSIGHT EXTRA Published every Wednesday footwearinsightextra.com TEXTILE INSIGHT EXTRA Published 6X each year. textileinsightextra.com TEXTILEINSIGHT.COM @TEXTILEINSIGHT TRENDS IN APPAREL + FOOTWEAR DESIGN AND INNOVATION • WINTER 2023 • A FORMULA4 MEDIA PUBLICATION OUTLOOK 2023 LOOKING BEYOND TO FIND PLANET-FRIENDLY FUTURE-WISE MATERIALS OUTDOORINSIGHTMAG.COM ON THE RISE HIKE & TRAIL REPORT SHOP TALK OUTDOOR SPECIALTY CONSUMER SURVEY SHOPPING FOR HIKE & TRAIL TRENDING UP STYLISH VIBES & INNOVATIVE TECH IN OUTDOOR APPAREL TRENDS, PERSPECTIVE & ANALYSIS • WINTER 2023 NEWS & ANALYSIS OF THE TEAM MARKET • MARCH/APRIL 2023 • A FORMULA4 MEDIA PUBLICATION ALSO INSIDE: THE BEST NEW GIRLS' SPORTS PRODUCTS FOR 2023 AND BEYOND. + THE ONE-ON-ONE PROJECT: JULIA SHERMAN OF BASHOR'S TEAM ATHLETICS THE FUTURE IS BEAUTIFUL FOR GIRLS' SPORTS IN A FIFA WORLD CUP YEAR. POWER GIRL TEAMINSIGHTMAG.COM footwearinsight.com sportstylemag.com textileinsight.com teaminsightmag.com outdoorinsightmag.com textileinsight.com Spring 2023 ~ Textile Insight • 49