Mankind has utilized silver’s natural antimicrobial powers since ancient times. Silver coins in the water barrel kept the contents fresh. Silver food vessels prevented spoilage. In fact, hospitals today use silver to treat their most vulnerable patients – burn victims and newborns.
This is Noble Biomaterial’s secret weapon too. Formerly known as Noble Fiber Technologies, Inc., the company, based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1997. With additional offices in Europe, Asia and South America, it offers X-STATIC fibers, SilverSeal wound care bandages and dressings, CircuiteX and ContaX textile technologies that provide solutions for electronic circuitry and static control, and yarns, fabrics, films and foam applications.
How does X-Static work?
Bacteria-fighting silver ions are built into fabrics with a special patented technology. When unwanted bacteria come into contact with the X-Static treated fabrics, silver ions are released and the bacteria are eliminated. No bacteria means no odor.
Science and innovation combine to create the X-Static anti-microbial technology, the intelligent anti-microbial that keeps textiles odor and infection-free, along with great conductivity.
“Over the last 36 months, we’ve seen a surge in innovation around managing conductivity in consumer and healthcare items, such as running shirts”, said Mr. Jeff Keane, CEO of Noble Biomaterials Inc. “In addition, with the likes of Adidas and, interestingly enough, Ralph Lauren Corp, we are putting our technology into bio-monitoring.”
As the new millennium approached, consumer applications in technical apparel and socks became widespread. Socks manufactured by Fox River Mills containing X-Static won Backpacker Magazine’s prestigious ‘Best New Product’ Award. In the 2002 and 2006 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Winter Olympics, over 200 athletes wore uniforms containing X-Static technology. Today, X-Static is used by hundreds of internationally recognizable consumer brands manufacturing apparel, uniforms, home goods, medical apparel and smart textiles.
“Functionality is the key. Now your shirt can help monitor your heart rate and your respiration rate. Within the infection prevention space, this is a fast emerging technology, it’s pretty much green-field and it’s all about knowledge sharing,” stressed Mr. Keane.
Indian innovative textile scenario
“Infection prevention textiles is at a very nascent stage in India, but we foresee a huge potential for soft surface solutions in a number of different verticals,” Mr. Keane noted.
Noble Biomaterials has partners across Asia, in China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. The company is currently looking at identifying partnerships with Indian entrepreneurs who could help develop the Indian market.
“We feel the Indian market is the next big opportunity, and we want a young vibrant company to align itself with this great growth opportunity that is now available,” added Mr. Keane.
