MINNEAPOLIS – NOVEMBER 23, 2022 – Claros Technologies, Inc. announced today the release of a third-party independent study verifying the capability and durability of the company’s antimicrobial additives for textiles. Conducted by a widely respected independent laboratory, the test found that Claros’ ZioShield™ (antimicrobial) and ZioFresh™ (anti-odor) products can reduce the presence of numerous species of disease-inducing bacteria, fungi, and viruses by 99.999 percent, i.e. a log 5 microbial reduction.
While other textiles can possess antimicrobial properties, these textiles have proven to exhibit gradual decreases in performance after regular wash and dry cycles. This decline in performance has also been associated with the loss of up to 70 percent of the textiles’ active ingredients including silver and copper, which then contribute to water and environmental pollution when they are subsequently released into local waste streams.
However, the aforementioned study found that the textiles that were treated with Claros’ eco-friendly ingredients and processes maintained their log 5 antimicrobial reduction capacities after 100 wash and dry cycles, far surpassing the industry standard of 20 cycles.
“This is the first – and, as of today, the only – antimicrobial textile on the market that maintains its full protection even after 100 washes,” explained Dr. Abbas. “ZioShield™ kills up to 99.999 percent of bacteria, viruses, and even fungi, without using environmental pollutants such as silver, copper or other toxic chemicals. This is important not only for anti-odor textiles but also for medical textiles in health care facilities. ZioShield™ can mitigate health care-associated infections and reduce the need for the use of chemical disinfectants multiple times a day.”
Dr. Abbas noted that Claros has additionally developed one of the world’s first UV-resistant cellulosic textiles, as well as a new color-fastness treatment.
“We are bringing the next generation of additives for sustainable and durable functional textile to the industry. We pride ourselves on achieving the highest performance and longevity without compromising on safety for the customer and the environment,” he said.
Dr. Brockgreitens added that the study has the potential to further accelerate the use of advanced material coatings in the textiles industry. “At Claros, we have worked toward bringing our durable treatment processes to the textile industry and designed them to easily retrofit into current manufacturing processes with no additional costs. We hope that our findings will encourage more textile manufacturers to incorporate less harmful chemicals like zinc into their processes to help minimize environmental impacts, without any impact on their bottom line,” he said.
Claros has previously received multiple accolades for its advancements in functional textiles. Most recently, Claros was recognized with the 2021 Innovation Award on behalf of TechConnect. Claros also received an International Achievement Award from the Advanced Textiles Association for the company’s ability to significantly increase the safety and longevity of textile composite materials by growing active materials within host fabrics including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, plastic films, and resins. In 2020, Claros was additionally honored with the Tekne award in the category of Sustainable Resources on behalf of the Minnesota Technology Association.
Further information about Claros’ proprietary technology and novel Crescoating™ process can be found in this study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports in October of 2022.
About Claros Technologies, Inc:
Claros Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2018 under the belief that air, water, and other natural resources are limited and do not belong to just one generation. The company’s central mission is to use the latest advancements in science and engineering to create processes that enable sustainable use, recovery, and reuse of these resources. Likewise, the team members at Claros share a moral obligation to create an environment for the next generation that is substantially more healthful than the environment they inherited.
