US textile and chemical manufacturer Milliken & Company has launched a new anti-microbial-charged fabric technology BioSmart at the 2007 CLEAN Show, currently taking place in Las Vegas. The new fabric is said to contain the sanitising effect of chlorine bleach to help reduce the spread of infection-causing bacteria and viruses, including emerging antibiotic-resistant microbes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infection in the United States and are a common cause of hospital-acquired infections such as pneumonia, surgical wound infections and bloodstream infections. While the majority of MRSA infections occur among patients in healthcare settings, it is also becoming more common among competitive sports participants and people within community settings including schools, daycare facilities, health clubs and prisons.

BioSmart can be applied to synthetics, cotton and poly/cotton fabrics and is said to be ideal for industries where bacterial contamination is a concern, such as sports apparel, activewear and healthcare.

The fabrics, which have passed the ISO skin irritation and skin sensitivity tests, dry quickly and wick moisture away.