TEXTINATION NEWSLINE 2012-01-03 T EXTILES PROTECT AGAINST A LLERGIES AND ENSURE H YGIENE Micro-organisms such as mites and their droppings trigger more and more people aller- gies. Bugs are not only found in far away countries, but increasingly also again in Euro- pe and Germany. The industry is responding and is offering textiles which guarantee hygiene. Harmonious and peaceful was the formerly coexisten- ce of humans and mites. In myriads tiny creatures scurried since the very beginning on and to the Homo Sapiens. This company did no damage. On the contrary: the different animals, bacteria and fungi pro- tected the sapient, because the mite ensured a perfect defense against infections. Today, scientists estimated that about 15 percent of the © Matratzen-Bezug.de the population suffers from house dust mite allergy. Elicitor are not the mites themselves, but their excretions. Particularly in mattresses and bedding the tiny arachnids feel comfortable. Here they will find enough food (skin flakes) and a pleasant warm-humid climate. Everywhere, in every house- hold, no matter how clean the houses are, house dust mites are present. Up to ten million dust mi- tes can inhabit a single mattress. Especially at night allergic sufferers are exposed to the pests and their allergenic faecal excretion almost defenseless and may have to suffer from itching of the skin and eyes, poor sleep, cold and irritated air ways. Textile product developments that keep off the mi- te effectively, killing them or protect the sleeper prior to the inhalation of excreta are emerging. Even supermarket chains like Aldi or Lidl and Tchibo are now selling special mattress covers in special promotions. These mattress covers, so-called encasings, form because of their surface structure the basis for a certain physical barrier between the mite and the human respiratory tract. What sounds so simple is for the manufacturers a great technical challenge: on the one hand, the fabric structure has to be impermeable for mite excrement and also breathable. To ensure that this works in practice, scientific research is needed. At the Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology at the Hohenstein Institutes house dust-mites are being © Matratzen-Bezug.de breed. The animals serve the science, because with them a test for determi- ning the mite tightness of textiles has been developed. The Institute examines the results of corresponding fabric types and awards certificates. Certified were among others products of the Van Clewe Group, which was founded in 1954. Besides specializing in textile finishing, healthcare and institutional textiles, the company is innovative in the area of hygiene, bacteria and allergies and is operating with a variety of finishing options. Bed- and mattress covers as well as travel sleeping bags are © Gerhard Van Clewe GmbH & Co. KG made of breathable and chemical-free microfiber and protect © Fotos: Nachweis am jeweiligen Bild; © Text: Textination GmbH – 1 – against dust mites and their excretions. Mattress covers with Medicott finishing are free of mildew by coating techniques. PU-coated anti-bacterial qualities are being used for mattress covers in hospitals and nursing homes. Further developments to improve the hygiene standards are also especially used for bedding in hospitals and nursing homes. "From the duvet cover and the duvet we have developed one product. It is easy to clean, which is very important when one thinks of the hospital-germ MRSA and helps the hospital staff at work because there is no © Gerhard Van Clewe GmbH & Co. KG pullover of cover and duvet anymore”, Norbert Koopmann, General Manager of the Van Clewe Group explained. In addition to the certification of the Hohenstein Institute Van Clewe holds another certificate given by TUV Rheinland. Via Internet, Matratzen-Bezug.de from St. Leon-Rot, near Heidelberg, offers products with bed bug certification, which provides a specially designed protection against bed bugs and dust mites for innerspring mattresses, other mattresses and pillows. Owner Karlhans Flink founded the company in 2009 and sells over the Internet both to professionals and to private individuals. "Our mattress cover has many positive properties. It is not only sealed against dust mites and bed bugs, but also protects the mattress from incontinence. Mildew and bacteria can not penetrate. The cover must not be always deducted and not always being washed. A wet cloth with little soap is enough", Karlhans Flink explains. Matratzen-Bezug.de offers not only covers for pillows and mattresses, but also travel safety items. The Travelkit, consisting a suitcase insert, laundry bag and protection spray © Matratzen-Bezug.de shields from the little bastards while traveling." Bed bugs are back on the rise. They occur more frequently again not only in America, Canada or Australia, but also in Europe, London, Paris, Berlin and the Bavarian Forest always more cases of bed bug infestation are known. There is almost no place where the bloodsuckers do not show up," Karlhans Flink says. Protec'Som is a manufacturer of allergen-proof and anti-mite covers for mattresses, blankets and pillows. Headquarter of the in 2002 founded company is Valognes, near Caen in France. To the field of activity of Protec'Som belongs research and development as well as the production and distribution of allergen-proof duvet covers. The company operates with various public and private companies such as hospitals, industries and communities and invests large amounts of money into research. In four years the French managed to apply for four patents. "Recently, the first children's pajamas, which protect the vulnerable skin from different attackers, have been developed. They are currently being tested in clinics,” company founder Thierry Poree said. Susanne Schaper Translation: Textination-Team © Fotos: Nachweis am jeweiligen Bild; © Text: Textination GmbH – 2 – .