Fashion and technology: brands reinvent themselves in the market during quarantine with fabrics that promise to act against the covid-19

Santaconstancia, Lupo, Liquido and Track & Field are some of the brands that already use the Amni Virus-Bac OFF thread in their collections, developed by Rhodia, which inactivates the action of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus through the fabric. Malwee, in partnership with the Swiss chemical industry CHT, announces that its clothes effectively kill the new coronavirus, but that the protection would last for up to 50 washes. And so other Brazilian companies in the sector also present their antivirus solutions.

In effect, companies like these are reinventing themselves in a market that has suffered and still suffers from the lack of consumption affected by the closing of non-essential businesses and the “stay at home” campaign in the light of the pandemic, as in the case of the “clothing” market. Such companies were able to gain momentum and take the lead in a competitive advantage by hiring the patent holders to offer revolutionary fabrics and deliver an interesting protection solution to their customers.

CHT’s technology, used by Malwee and Vicunha, entitled HeiQ Viroblock, is very similar to that of Brazilian Nanox, a startup based in the city of São Carlos, in São Paulo, which already supplied textiles and other segments, antibacterial fabrics, fungicides and against bad odors. With the advent of the coronavirus, Nanox adapted its fabric with the treatment of silver nanoparticles, which adhere to the threads, and claims to liquidate the coronavirus in up to 3 minutes with 99.8% efficiency. The idea is so good that it was bought by Santista Têxtil, which in partnership with Nanox has already launched its collection of anti-covid clothing, with pieces even in jeans and serge.

Creation protection

Antibacterial fabrics, quick drying, against solar radiation, moisturizers, thermophysiological, protectors from mosquito bites that transmit diseases, among many others have already been the next big thing. It is not just now that the textile industry pays attention and develops functional fabrics and creative companies gain the rewards through innovation.

The importance of patents is fundamental in this unique moment that we are living so that the economic opportunities unfolded by the need for innovation are fully exploited by the holders of the respective privileges of invention. The world is looking for solutions to inactivate the new coronavirus and if the clothes we wear can contribute to our safety and protection, a huge market is open to these ideas; the recovery of the textile and clothing industry takes an important step for their own survival.

Life obviously has changed; the current concept of dressing will no longer be the same. The question now hovers over how functional (technological) fabrics will influence the way people dress from now on.

Let’s be prepared for them.