pure genius an in n9 pure
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PURE GENIUS AN INSPIRED SOLUTION IN ANTIMICROBIALPROTECTION
N9 PURE SILVER™
Carrington is a dynamic market leader and the largest producer of workwear fabrics in the UK. We produce over 30 million metres of fabric annually, exporting to more than 70 countries worldwide. Throughout Europe, and beyond, millions of people go about their tasks in workwear made from our fabrics.
Based in Lancashire, where the roots of British textiles began, we have over 125 years experience of textile processing and finishing. This is supported by massive investments in one of Europe’s largest fully integrated textile processing and finishing operations.
Working closely with garment manufacturers and rental laundries, we have an unrivalled knowledge of their evolving needs - and a well established reputation for responding with innovative solutions.
This is based on our specialisation in the development of fabrics and finishes with exceptional performance in the most demanding workplace environments.
Now, with the introduction of N9 Pure Silver™, we have taken protection and proven superiority in antimicrobial performance to a much higher and enduring level that sets a new benchmark across a whole spectrum of work apparel.
With its combination of properties, N9 Pure Silver™ will change attitudes, raise expectations and reduce risks in an age of growing concern with regard to contamination.
At Carrington, we pride ourselves on introducing exciting ideas that drive the industry forward and help our customers seize new opportunities.
Ideas backed by total support through a global network of agents and offices.
N9 Pure Silver™ from Carrington is the first of a new generation of silver anti-microbial technologies. This breakthrough technology delivers outstanding long lasting antimicrobial performance combined with impeccable environmental credentials.
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N9 Pure Silver™
What makes N9 Pure Silver™ different from other silver antimicrobials?
N9 Pure Silver™ is a pure metallic silver in ultra-pure de-ionized water. The actual silver loading in each gram of N9 Pure Silver™ is incredibly low. However, the configuration of the individual N9 Pure Silver™ particles makes them highly effective at deactivating bacteria and other microbes even with this low silver loading.
N9 Pure Silver™ is non-leaching. It remains intact on the treatedsurface and works where needed to protect it from bacteria and other microbes. This means that there is minimal loss of silver into the environment or onto the skin.
N9 Pure Silver™ is bacteriostatic and gently defensive. It stays on the surface to which it is applied and protects that surface against “bad” bacteria, without affecting the skins natural balance.
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How does N9 Pure Silver™ work?
N9 Pure Silver™ works in 3 different ways:
l Immobilising the bacteria by depleting oxygen
l Rupturing the bacterial cell membrane
l Destroying the reproductive receptor
Silver ion generation is very low and happens only when the silver is in contact with bacteria “on demand release”
Bacteria moves onto fabric surface
N9 Pure Silver™ particles are on fabric surface and are ready to act
FabricSurface
Destroys the reproductive receptor
Immobilizes the bacteria by depleting oxygen
Ruptures the bacteria cell membrane
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Antimicrobial testing of N9 Pure Silver™ for textile applications
There are two categories of silver based products present in the market place. Each of them requires different test methods and performance criteria, because they behave differently in some key aspects. Hence an understanding of the product characteristics and relevant testing protocols are essential for carrying out successful antimicrobial tests.
The two categories of silver products are:1. Silver salt (ion) based technology2. Silver particle based technology(For example silver chloride N9 Pure Silver™)
Limitations of silver salt (ion) technology
Silver ion types are very common and are a leaching type of antimicrobial. Their limitations are related to the following:
•Ions are highly aggressive
•Ions require a high application dosage and silver content
•Ions have low wash durability and a high leaching tendency
•Ions have potential aquatic toxicity
•Ions cannot be fine tuned for specific applications
•Ions are sensitive to ligands
•Ions are not bound and hence follow a mass kill approach which results in bacteria building resistance
Comparison of antimicrobial test methods
N9 Pure Silver™
The unique and innovative features of N9 Pure Silver™ particulate technology
N9 Pure Silver™ is a patented silver particle technology. N9 Pure Silver™ is bound to textiles on a molecular scale. Its mode of action is to physically damage the cell wall, biochemically attaching to and deactivating microbes on contact.
N9 Pure Silver™ is a pure metallic silvers in ultra-pure de-ionized water, with negligible quantities of silver ions present. In the presence of bacteria, it shows no ‘zone of inhibition’.
The particles have a large surface area for better contact with textiles and are designed to ‘hook’ onto textiles, to deliver wash durability and be highly effective in deactivating microbes quickly. The mechanism of N9 Pure Silver™ compared to silver ions is different, in that it attracts and attaches to bacteria. Hence N9 Pure Silver® shows bacteriostatic properties and is observed as being highly non-leaching.
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Understanding antimicrobials - what is an antimicrobial?
Leaches and kills all microbes quickly
Sterilisation
Leaches and kills most microbes quickly
Disinfectant/Antiseptic
Leaches and kills microbes over a period of time
Bactericidal/Sanitizer
Stops and kills microbes on contact area.
Contact inhibition. Bacteriostatic
Stops the growth of microbes.
Static effect
Slows the growth of microbes.
Partly bacteriostatic
>99.999% Steriliser
<95% Weak bacteriostat
Any product which has a negative impact on a microbe is called an Antimicrobial. Most antimicrobial fabrics show to some extent both bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal properties. If antimicrobial activity is claimed, it should be at a level that would be considered useful to prevent both fabric spoilage and reduce the chance of malodour forming in the fabric. However, it should not be expected to provide infection control.
The scale varies as shown.
N9 Pure Silver™
Antimicrobial test methods -background
Microbiological tests used to characterize antimicrobial fabrics vary and are dependent on the required outcomes. In general, the methods commonly used to test antimicrobial fabrics are designed to detect low-level activity over long periods of time. Many of the commonly used antimicrobial fabric test methods do not have success criteria at all. Interpretation of the test results is entirely up to the interested parties.
Antimicrobial tests are carried out to establish biocide release data, rate of kill data, label claims, robustness of application, product efficacy, quality assurance and consumer trust.
Antimicrobial Testing overviewThere are several test methods in existence for testing antimicrobials, with special relevance for treated textiles. The suitability of a test method for a given antimicrobial product and specific textile needs careful consideration. The qualitative methods are subjective and use a rating based on the ‘zone of inhibition’. The quantitative methods measure the actual microbe counts and report log reduction of microbial contamination.
JIS L 1902 and ISO 20743 can be both qualitative and quantitative methods
Furthermore, some of the older and well-established tests which measure performance in broth and around the fabric, tend to ‘favour’ the kind of behaviour associated with early types of antimicrobial technologies – namely leaching products, which exhibit a zone of inhibition.
A new technology such as N9 Pure Silver®, that is both highly durable and non-leaching, is capable of ‘failing’ such a test. An example of this is the classic AATCC 100 test which tests performance in broth.
However a modern test protocol, which is capable of measuring performance exactly where needed, ie on the textile itself, is highly suitable for non-leaching antimicrobials such as N9 Pure Silver™.
Amongst the many industry standards, the test methods JIS L 1902 and ISO 20743 best meet the criteria for quantitative testing of N9 Pure Silver™.
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JIS L 1902 is a Japanese standard protocol on textiles for the determination of antibacterial activity and efficacy on textile products. This method is very similar to ISO 20743 described previously. This standard specifies the testing method for evaluating the antibacterial activity of bacteria and also enables the antibacterial performance of ‘finished’ textile products to be measured. Various methods can be used to determine the antibacterial activity. The most appropriate method is determined by considering the intended application and how the textile product is to be used. The three possible methods are: a) Absorption: test bacterial suspension
is inoculated directly onto samples
b)Transfer: test bacteria is placed on an agar plate and then transferred onto samples
c) Printing: test bacteria is placed on a filter and then printed onto samples
The colony plate count method and the ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate) luminescence methods are also specified for measuring the number of bacteria.
For products treated with N9 Pure Silver™, the absorption method (Section 10) is simple and more suitable as this method focuses on direct testing on fabric rather than in broth.
The International Standard corresponding to this JIS Standard is the ISO 20743: 2007 Textiles - Determination of antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished Products (MOD (modified)). The only difference in the two methods is the way the final results are reported. In ISO 20743, results are reported as log reduction, whilst in JIS, they are reported as a percentage of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity.
Rapid Screening Test on Fabric: SUITABLE for testing N9 Pure Silver™We have developed a proprietary method based on the principles of JIS L 1902 which introduces bacteria directly onto the fabric surface, allows it to grow (or not) over time, and then measures the activity on N9 Pure Silver™ treated fabrics compared to an untreated control. This correlates closely with JIS 1902 and ISO 20743 but is much more rapid and suitable for screening multiple applications of N9 Pure Silver™ quickly and thus can be used as a ‘predictor’ of the full JIS L 1902 test.
JIS L 1902: 2008 : (Absorption method) MOST SUITABLE for testing N9 Pure Silver™
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Brief overview of tests used for testing textiles treated with N9 Pure Silver™
ISO 20743 is a standard protocol for textiles to determine the antibacterial activity of finished products with an antibacterial finish. This International Standard is applicable to all textile products, including fabric, wadding, thread, clothing material, home furnishings and miscellaneous goods regardless of the type of antibacterial agent used (organic, inorganic, natural or man-made). Also it is independent of the method of application (built-in, post-treatment or grafting). Based on the intended application and on the environment in which the textile product is to be used, the user can select the most suitable of the following three methods for the determination of antibacterial activity:
a) Absorption method is an evaluation method in which test bacterial suspension is inoculated directly onto samples
b) Transfer method is an evaluation method in which test bacteria are placed on an agar plate and transferred onto samples
c) Printing method is an evaluation method in which test bacteria are placed on a filter and printed onto samples
The colony plate count method and the ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate) luminescence methods are also specified for measuring the number of bacteria.
For products treated with N9 Pure Silver™, the absorption method is simple and more suitable as this method focuses on direct testing on fabric rather than in broth.
The International Standard corresponding to this JIS Standard is the ISO 20743: 2007 Textiles - Determination of antibacterial activity of antibacterial finished Products (MOD (modified)). The only difference in the two methods is the way the final results are reported. In ISO 20743, results are reported as log reduction, whilst in JIS, they are reported as a percentage of bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity.
ISO 20743: (Absorption method) SUITABLE for testing N9 Pure Silver™
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The demand for bound antimicrobials rather than leaching antimicrobials is increasing due to environmental, safety and health reasons. Antimicrobials should be bound, remain active through typical wash and wear conditions, and stable to detergent chemistries. Incorporation of an antimicrobial into coatings and finishes is preferred over fibre extrusion, because of the higher degree of flexibility in application combined with excellent durability. N9 Pure Silver™ is the most relevant choice of antimicrobial for a broad range of textile applications including those with high skin contact, meeting all the above criteria.
Recommendation from N9 Innovations:
It is recommended to use JIS L 1902 or ISO 20743 to quantitatively test for non-leaching and strongly bound antimicrobials such as N9 Pure Silver™.
AATCC 147: Antibacterial Activity Assessment of Textile Materials (Parallel Streak Method)
AATCC 100: Standard method (testing in broth)
ASTM E 2149: Dynamic Shake Flask
Unsuitable test protocols for N9 non-leaching Silver products
Overall conclusion
Safe
l Carrington is totally committed to the safety and protection of the environment in the design, manufacture and use of N9 Pure Silver™
l N9 Pure Silver™ is non-leaching and strongly binding: remains intact on treated textile and works where needed to protect it
l Bacteriostatic and gently defensive: protects textiles against bacteria without affecting the natural skin balance. (Bactericidal seek and kill all bacteria.)
l Dermatologically tested
Gentle on the environment
l N9 Pure Silver™ contains minimal silver loading. Designed to ‘hook’ onto textiles, it remains in place through the natural lifetime of the garment. Extremely low amount of silver is released, even after multiple washes
l Low silver loading and low release through washing is orders of magnitude lower than older generation silver antimicrobials
l Generates extremely low levels of silver ions
l Proven to be completely non-leaching: no zone of inhibition
N9 Pure Silver™
Proven performance lasting 150+ washesExhaust application onto textiles
Bacteria growing on control (untreated)
Fungus growing on control (untreated)
Protected with N9 Pure Silver™ Fabric stays blackBacteria free
Protected with N9 Pure Silver™ Fabric stays blackFungus free
High performance
l Tested against a wide range of microbes including bacteria and fungi
l Effective on different fabric types: pure cotton, synthetics and blends. Particle’s large surface area allows optimum contact making N9 Pure Silver™ highly effective at deactivating microbes
l Tested under typical exhaust and padding conditions - with and without traditional finishes
l Tested under the most stringent conditions, following internationally recognised test protocols
l Performance unimpaired by repeated industrial laundering (tested to 150+ wash cycles)
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N9 Pure Silver™ is the ideal antimicrobial for textiles
The uniquebene ts of
Stable, easy to apply. Colours stay bright and no yellowing on whites
Minimal silver loading - low
release through wash
Low Ag+ emission
Gentle on theenvironment
Easy to apply High performance
Safe
Safe on skin and does not leach: does not interactwith natural body chemistry
Highly e ective, long lasting freshness (150+ washes)
N9 Pure Silver™
Gentle on the environmentNew generation Metallic Particulates combine low silver loading with low release of silver through wash
New generation silver chemistry combines low silver loading with very low silver ion release
Silver chloride based antimicrobials show a zone of inhibition, due to Ag+ formation or release of loosely bound silver particles.
N9 Pure silver™ shows no zone of inhibition: it is non-leaching has negligible Ag+ generation and very low release of silver.
High
Low
Silver loading
Release of silver through wash HighLow
N9 Pure Silver™: Low silver loading and excellent retention after washing
Metallic Particulate
Ionic silvers: High silver loading and poor retention after washing
Bulk SilverMetal Silver
Chloride
Silver zeoliteSilver glass
Silver Nitrate
With zone of inhibition
No zone of inhibition
Workwear with the new N9 Pure SilverTM treatment perfectly complements HACCP. It ensures that freshly laundered and issued workwear remains hygienic in use, protecting against contamination by the wearer or contact with bacteria on surfaces such as hands, machinery or other clothing.
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“All food business operators are required to implement and maintain hygiene procedures based on HACCP principles”European Hygiene Legislation
THEHACCP
PROCESS
DirtyLaundry
Readyfor use
LaundrySegregation
ProcessedLaundry
Barrier WasherTunnel Finishing
Theoperators of thelaundry should
never be in contactwith potentiallycontaminated
laundry
Theprocessed laundryshould never leavethe laundry in the
same containers ortransport vehicles
it arrived in
it ismost important
that there is a clearseperation between
contaminatedlaundry and clean
laundry
Easy to apply
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l Easily applied through standard finishing processes - exhaust and padding
l No special equipment required
l Can be applied in combination with other textile finishes
l Does not affect colour or feel; whites remain white, brights remain bright
Comparing N9 Pure Silver™ to 1st Generation Technologies
N9 Pure Silver™ New Generation Technology Highly durable - stays on fabric
Low silver loading still delivers 150+ washes
Not water soluble - survives washing
No yellowing - easy to apply
Delivers at low silver content - efficient,
environmentally sound technology
Negligible silver ions - negligible impact on
aquatic toxicity
1st Generation Technologies Ionic silver technologies - much less durable
High to very high silver loading
Water soluble - wash off easily
Can yellow - some application issues
Requires high silver content - less efficient technology
(environmental issues)
Highly ionic - aqatic toxicity concerns
A much fresher approach to casual and consumer wear. With the advanced technology of N9 Pure SilverTM, long lasting freshness can now be offered as a standard feature in a wide range of corporatewear garments.
Contact
Head Office (UK)Carrington Workwear LtdMarket StreetAdlingtonLancashirePR7 4HJ
Tel: +44 (0)1257 476850Fax: +44 (0)1257 476852Email: [email protected]
www.carrington.uk.com
FranceCarringtonFrance Sarl83 Rue de la Gare59170 CroixFrance
Tel: +33 (0)3 2098 6646Fax: +33 (0)3 2098 6609Email: [email protected]
www.carrington.eu.com
GermanyCarringtonDeutschland GmbHHembergstr 2427726 WorpswedeGermany
Tel: +49 (0)47 92 950191Fax: +49 (0)47 92 950192Email: [email protected]
www.carrington.eu.com