We have been touting about this incredibly innovative fabric but just what exactly does CottonX™ do and why is it so revolutionary?
Join us down the fabric rabbit hole.. off we go!
There are four key processes to fabric.
- Raw materials (ie. oil, wood, cotton etc)
- Production (ie. converting the raw materials into a wearable fabric)
- Finish (ie. chemical treatments, dyeing)
- End of life (ie. biodegradable)
An example..
Bamboo is one of these fabrics that is often lauded for it’s wonderful environmentally friendly properties. Most people are referring to the raw materials, where bamboo is an exceptionally sustainable material and easy to grow. But few people look into how we convert one of the toughest woods in the world (I mean, most of Asia is still using bamboo as scaffolding for skyscraper buildings) into this wonderfully soft-to-touch fabric. If you dig a little deeper, the chemicals used to convert bamboo into fabric are problematic.* **
Our Fabric Journey
Early on in our journey, we knew we needed to find an antimicrobial fabric as a way to combat the infections people in Bangladesh were getting through unhygienic means to deal with their period. In our research, we got talking to the Head of WASH at UNHCR (yes, this is a sly flex) and he warned us that most antimicrobial fabrics use chemicals that get washed into the waterways (ie. 3 - The finish of the fabric).
We then talked to everyone we could possibly think of.. How do we prevent infections but ensure that we are not polluting the waterways at the same time? Does a product like this exist? We then talked to the CEO of HK Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (the best in the business) and the CTO of TAL Apparel (they make 1 in every 6 shirts sold in the USA) and they both recommended a new fabric called CottonX™. A fabric so smart and innovative, it’s not even reached the market.
Kicking Bacteria in the Guts
A problem was occurring in the hospitals. Patients would go in sick and come out sicker because of the communicable diseases that were being spread patient to patient. Jeff, a scientist, decided to find a solution to this problem. He developed CottonX™ as a way to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, and has been proven effective against Covid-19. Copper Oxide is bonded to Cotton and when bacteria and viruses come into contact with the fabric, they can’t survive. Even after 100 washes, the antibacterial integrity remains at 99%. Compare this to a chemical treatment and you will see 0% after 50 washes.
It’s also been proven to be great for your skin!
- Kills bacteria and viruses and performance is far superior to anything else in the market
- Doesn’t wash out chemicals into the waterways
- Reduces odour
- Proven to be great for skin - helps retain moisture and reduce wrinkles
- Kinder to the environment
Environmental Round Up
We really go above and beyond when it comes to sourcing and product development and as a round up, you can see we address all four factors in our fabric.
- Raw materials: Cotton from Turkey and Copper Oxide from USA
- Production: Closed loop process where water is recycled and no chemicals are used.
- Finish: Components are bonded together, not requiring any chemicals. Dyeing process uses chemicals and the one factor we are working on.
- End of life: Natural fibres which can break down
In summary, CottonX™ is a far superior fabric for you, the health of your bod and for the planet.
