IIT-Delhi develops fabric to ease smelly sweat discomforts

26 Apr '13

2 min read

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi, working jointly with an industrial firm, has developed a fabric enabled to cut out smell and keep the wearer fresh in spite of sweating.

Smart Materials and Innovative Textile Applications (SMITA), a research lab of IIT-Delhi, has developed a nano-science based application which bestows the fabric with antimicrobial property, which cuts smell in spite of presence of sweat on the fabric, Economic Times reported quoting PTI.

Ashwini Agrawal, a professor at IIT-Delhi, who developed the innovative product jointly with his colleague Manjeet Jassal and then PhD student Sangita Paul, said fabric smells due to presence of microbes on it, and their innovation involving nanosilver does not let the these microbes grow and hence there is no smell.

He said they took silver, which is known to have antimicrobial properties, to the nanoscale, that is one billionth part in a metric system, and embedded its particles (less than 1 part per million) in the fabric, to enable it to retain its original colour and features.

After evolving the idea in 2007, it was a major challenge for them to ensure stability of the nanofinishes after washing, and at the same time also not allowing the fabric to lose its colour, he said.

Several tests have confirmed that the fabric retains nearly 100 percent anti-microbial property at very low silver concentrations, and sustains durability for over 30 washes, which is the lifetime durability standard set by the industry for any fabric. Also, it has obtained safety tests certification from German organization Oeko-Tek.

The innovative fabric has been developed with financial assistance from the Indian Government, Bangalore-based textile chemicals firm RESIL Chemicals, Department of Science and Technology and others.

The fabric is now commercially available in India and Europe and was also showcased at 'I2Tech Open House', recently organised at the IIT-Delhi.

RESIL is selling the product under brand name “N9 Pure Silver”. However, the product has met better response in European market, Mr. Agrawal told PTI.

UK-based retail major Marks and Spencer was the first firm that launched the product last year, after tagging it as "one of the best innovative technologies”.

Now, even other brands like Louise Phillipe, UTC, DIM, Urbana, Bharti Walmart’s George Shirts, Amante and Raymond, are featuring the new product, Mr. Agrawal said.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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