IMPRESSIONS from a Cross-section

Silvadur has been widely accepted in many market segments since its introduction four years ago. Today, you can find Silvadur in socks, T-shirts and underwear, sports and fitness products, casualwear such as dress shirts for men, and in denim, bedding products and towels. 

The carpet market holds great potential for Silvadur. One of the world's leading carpet mills recently began incorporating Silvadur to control odours in used carpets. We are looking for more opportunities in that segment. 

Hunting and outdoor apparel are segments where opportunities are emerging for Silvadur. For example, a prominent North American manufacturer of hunting and outdoor apparel recently specified Silvadur for use in all its apparel brands. 

Silvadur is most rapidly adopted in areas where hygiene-conscious and sustainability-minded consumers are better established, such as North America and Europe. It also continues to grow in areas where an emerging middle class can afford higher-end product offerings, as is the case in China and other Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries. In those countries, we are seeing double digit and almost triple digit growth.  

In my mind, the most important trend by far is the growing desire among consumers around the world for improved hygiene practices and more sustainable lifestyles, which is changing their priorities when they purchase products. Consumers are looking for apparel and home furnishings that feature functions such as built-in odour control and longer lasting freshness. They want peace of mind that the products they are purchasing reflect their attitudes about sustainability and hygiene and help them achieve the lifestyle they want for themselves and their families.

Consumers are increasingly focused on making savvy investments in the textile and apparel products they buy and they appreciate wearable technology and intelligent fabrics. The ability of Silvadur to provide intelligent, longer lasting freshness, which enables consumers to wear their garments more and wash them less, is what sustainable lifestyle is all about.

I can only speak for Dow Microbial Control, but I can tell you that we are always looking for ways to advance the Silvadur technology and its durable performance. 

Silvadur is highly effective against a range of odour-causing, fibre-damaging bacteria, yeast and algae. Among many examples are Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Importantly, third-party tests have confirmed that Silvadur has a greater than 99 per cent microbial reduction rate on treated textiles after 50 home launderings using standard laundry methods.

Silvadur's competitive advantage is that it combines the power of silver ions with a patented delivery system that inhibits the growth of odour-causing bacteria reliably and over an extended period of time.