The effect of the test material on these germs is quantified during a wearing simula-tion over a period of 18 hours and then evaluated against a control material without antim-icrobial finish.

This process examines the change in the total number of germs as well as the number of individual germs. If no significant reduction in the number of germs occurs within the exposure time, the textile is considered to be ‘safe’ with regard to the body's own skin flora.

The test results can be advertised using the Hohenstein Quality Label ‘Antibacterial & Skin flora neutral’. Successful testing for antibacterial effectiveness according to DIN EN ISO 20743 is a prerequisite for obtaining the label.

To ensure realistic testing, the test system was correlated with textiles from an earlier field study concerning the influence of antibac-terial clothing (AiF no. 15537 N).

The aim of the Hohenstein Quality Label ‘Skin flora neutral’ is to allow customers to see which antibacterial textiles have been proven to have no influence on the skin flora.

In addition to the current tests ‘Antibacterial’, ‘Odour reduction’, ‘Effective against dust mites’, ‘Skin friendly’ and ‘Suitable for allergy sufferers’, the Hohenstein Institute can now offer another certification for textile manufacturers which is directed at retail customers.

Hohenstein