Silver is a natural element with symbol Ag and atomic number 47 and has long been recognized throughout history as having natural antimicrobial properties. While the term ‘antibacterial’ refers only to bacteria, ‘antimicrobial’ refers to a wider range of organisms including bacteria, molds, fungi and others. Scientists have discovered that silver interrupts the bacteria’s ability to form the chemical bonds essential to its survival. It has been found that out of all the metals with antimicrobial properties, silver has the most effective antibacterial action and the least toxicity to human cells.. (Guggenbichler et al., 1999)

V Technical Textiles has dedicated their extensive industry expertise to design products constructed with ionic silver. The benefits of silver are transferred onto the fabric through an ion exchange.

The silver ions bind with microbes that they come in contact with irreparably damaging them, disrupting their normal cell function which stops them from reproducing and ultimately results in the death of the cell. Fabrics prepared in this manner were able to reduce S. aureus and E. coli cell counts by 97% and 91% respectively.

Even after subjecting the fabric to 20 laundry cycles, the fabric samples were still able to reduce S. aureus and E. coli cell counts by 94% and 85% respectively. Fabrics prepared in this manner are used by individuals working in the medical field or those who often work with microbes to prevent the spread of infectious bacteria (El-Rafie et al., 2010)