Newly Developed Viroblock Technology Kills COVID-19 on Fabrics
It will be implemented in the final stages of denim production, creating the world’s first antiviral jeans.
As many organizations continue their attempts in developing a vaccine for COVID-19, the fashion industry is also slowly finding ways to navigate through the ongoing pandemic. Swiss textile firm HeiQ, which developed the new Viroblock technology, will be partnering with Artistic Denim Mills to create the world’s first antiviral denim.
First unveiled in March, Viroblock is an invisible film added onto fabrics that can kill 99.9 percent of SARS-CoV-2 on contact, Vogue reports. According to research, the virus can usually live on fabrics for up to two days at room temperature, but will be killed within 30 minutes with the help of Viroblock. The technology stays effective for up to 30 laundry cycles. While Viroblock has been under development since 2013, the recent coronavirus outbreak made the innovation become a top priority. First used on medical masks, it is now being considered as an addition to textiles to create COVID-19-proof clothing.
To further the process, Pakistan-based denim production company Artistic Denim Mills has teamed up with HeiQ, aiming to make the first antiviral jeans through brands DL1961 and Warp + Weft. Every pair of jeans from both labels will receive Viroblock treatment in the last stage of production, starting in October.
“Denim has always been about function, but because our lives have become less [physically] demanding, we started treating it more as a statement. The pandemic has placed more importance on functionality, and we’re realizing how important it is to have less clothing, but also clothing that’s more functional and higher quality,” HeiQ’s CMO Hoi Kwan Lam commented. “At HeiQ, we want to make every piece of fabric more functional and more comfortable, and a year from now, I think [the market] will look very different,” she added.
In addition to Viroblock, HeiQ is known for its diverse range of functional textiles, including odor-fighting HeiQ Pure, thermoregulating HeiQ Smart Temp and more.
