The technology behind our products

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing science of producing and utilizing nano-sized particles that measure in nanometers (1 nm = 1 billionth of a metre).

One nanomaterial that is having an early impact in health care products is nano-silver. Silver has been used for the treatment of medical ailments for over 100 years due to its natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. The nano-silver particles typically measure 25nm which means that a relatively small volume of silver gives an extremely large relative surface area, increasing the particles contact with bacteria or fungi, and vastly improving its bactericidal and fungicidal effectiveness. To give an idea of how the surface area can increase, this is equivalent to flattening a 1cm cube of silver (the size of a sugar cube) so that it covers an area larger than a football field.

When the nano-silver comes in contact with bacteria and fungus it will adversely affect cellular metabolism and inhibit cell growth. The nano-silver suppresses respiration, basal metabolism of electron transfer system, and transport of substrate in the microbial cell membrane. The nano-silver inhibits multiplication and growth of those bacteria and fungi which cause infection, odor, itchiness sores and smelly feet.

Scientists have pioneered silver nanotechnology to incorporate silver directly into natural and artificial fibres. The key benefit is that it can be used to produce materials for use in the prevention of bacterial and fungal growth - for example, in dressings for wounds.The effects are expected to last throughout the lifetime of the fibre, making it especially appropriate for use in health care and some consumer textile products.

The therapeutic effectiveness of silver has long been acknowledged. The Romans used silver nitrate therapeutically; the alchemist Paracelsus spoke of the virtues of silver as a healing substance. It was in the 1800s that physicians discovered the antibacterial qualities of silver and applied them to their practice of medicine. They used silver nitrate successfully in the treatment of skin ulcers, compound fractures and for wounds. Dr William Halstead, one of the founding fathers of modern surgery, promoted silver foil dressings for wounds that were used extensively until 1955 when antibiotics became widespread. Silver coating in fibre is not a new idea but it has been dogged by two problems: the high cost and the staining that can arise from leaching of the silver. However, due to the extremely small particle size, both problems no longer apply to our products.