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Antimicrobials To The Rescue



additives boost the power of nonwovens to fight off germs, bacteria and odors



By Ellen Wuagneux
Associate Editor




Click here to read the full article.
With the threat of the swine flu pandemic just beginning to wind down as we went to press this month, it seems as fitting a time as ever to consider the advantages antimicrobial treatments have to offer nonwoven products. Whether they are incorporated at the fiber/polymer or finished product stage through extrusion or injection molding technologies, these additives provide benefits ranging from odor/stain elimination and protection against deterioration to anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Target areas include healthcare, filtration, automotive, home furnishing, food service, packaging and more.

Recent public health scares over drug-resistant bacteria and growing concern over the spread of germs and infectious diseases have only boosted consumer awareness of the importance of antibacterial and antimicrobial products. These changes are keeping manufacturers on their toes across the supply chain as they answer the call for more protection at a lower price. “Market requirements continue to evolve as consumer awareness increases,” observed Mimi Cartee, global alliance manager at Huntsman International. “Con­sumers today are more knowledgeable than they were five years ago, mainly because more information is available at our fingertips.”