Hohenstein revamps antimicrobial testing
13/05/2013
The test is based on a standardised model of the human skin flora which simulates the germ population, topography and environmental properties of healthy skin. The effect of the test material on these germs is quantified during a wearing simulation over a period of 18 hours and then evaluated against a control material without antimicrobial 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 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. Professor Dirk Höfer said: "The new product label ‘Skin flora neutral’ is the ideal supplement to the Hohenstein Quality Label we introduced a few years ago."
The researchers conducted a study into antimicrobials, and particularly silver finishes, some years ago which refuted the fears about commercial quality antibacterial products. A comparison between the influence of normal and antibacterial functionalised chemical fibres on the skin flora and the micro climate showed no significant differences.
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