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Basics - Industry News
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PRESS RELEASE
Media Contact:
Trish Martin, Blink
trish@blinkready.com
336.286.0373
www.smartsilver.com
Investor Relations Contact:
Jo Ann Lehtihet, NanoHorizons Inc.
jlehtihet@nanohorizons.com
814.861.9909
SmartSilver™ Antimicrobial Additives Approved by Oeko-Tex
State College, PA —December 15, 2008— NanoHorizons Inc., a leader in the creation of nanoscale performance additives for textile, health care, and industrial applications, announced that its antimicrobial silver additives, marketed globally under the SmartSilver™ performance brand, have been approved by the International Oeko-Tex Association. The endorsement indicates that SmartSilver additives have been extensively tested and determined not to be harmful to human health. Textile products manufacturers who are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified can use SmartSilver additives without compromising their standing. Additionally, textile products manufacturers seeking Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification will be able to do so more efficiently by choosing SmartSilver approved antimicrobial additives.
“Receiving Oeko-Tex approval is an important endorsement of silver’s natural role in safe bacterial and odor control,” says Dr. James Delattre, VP Global Marketing for NanoHorizons. “Our SmartSilver nanotechnology unlocks silver’s power to provide permanent, effective antimicrobial protection that doesn’t wear off or wash out of fabrics. Now that we are Oeko-Tex approved, we look forward to working with manufacturers who value textile safety as highly as we do.”
“SmartSilver textile additives effectively control bacteria but do so in a way that does not harm the user of the enhanced product,” says Dr. Manfred Wentz, US Director of Oeko-Tex. “Unlike many other antimicrobials that rely on harsh chemicals to control microbes, SmartSilver uses silver, which is not on Oeko-Tex’s restricted substances list (RSL).”
SmartSilver nanoscale silver antimicrobial additives can be added at any stage of textile processing and can be applied effectively to both natural and synthetic fibers and fabrics. In addition to being Oeko-Tex approved, SmartSilver additives are also EPA registered.
“Silver has been revered for its healing and protective properties throughout human history,” continues Delattre. “At NanoHorizons, we are pleased to provide products that focus silver’s power in a way that provides protection without harmful side effects, either to the consumer or to the world in which we all live.”
About NanoHorizons Inc.
NanoHorizons Inc. (www.nanohorizons.com) is a leader in the emerging, cutting-edge field of practical nanotechnology for a broad range of consumer, commercial, and industrial applications. The company’s nanoscale silver antimicrobial additives, marketed globally to customers in the apparel, health care, and coatings and plastics industries under the SmartSilver™ brand (www.smartsilver.com), uniquely offer permanent, safe and cost-effective bacterial control in a variety of products, including natural and synthetic fibers and fabrics as well as coating, foam and polymer applications. SmartSilver additives are EPA registered and Oeko-Tex approved. NanoHorizons’ experienced team of scientists, engineers, and operational managers provide product research, design, and development, laboratory testing, manufacture, and customer technical and sales support. The company is privately held and headquartered in Penn State University’s Innovation Park in State College, Pennsylvania.
About Oeko-Tex
The International Oeko-Tex Association, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, was founded in 1992 by the Austrian Textile Research Institute and the German Hohenstein Research Institutes. Currently, its membership includes 14 independent textile research and testing institutes with offices in over 40 countries. To date, more than 60,000 certificates have been issued and 8,000 companies in 84 countries are working with Oeko-Tex to ensure that their products are tested for potentially harmful substances. For more information, visit the website at Oeko-Tex.com
Gildan To Restructure Sock Manufacturing Operations, Close Three Plants
Montreal-based branded basic apparel manufacturer Gildan Activewear Inc. has announced it will close three plants and phase out US sock-finishing operations. The company cited as reasons the decline in economic conditions during October and November, in addition to the increasing global competition in the sock market.
The restructuring — scheduled to be complete by the end of June 2009 — will comprise two phases. In phase one, Knitting Plant #8 in Hillsville, Va., along with the Cherokee Finishing and Plainsman Finishing plants in Fort Payne, Ala., will close at the end of February 2009. The three plant closings will affect 180 employees in Virginia and 220 employees in Alabama. In phase two, Gildan will consolidate the Fort Payne sock-finishing operations at its Honduras facilities by the end of June. The company plans to maintain the sock-knitting operations as well as distribution and administrative activities located there.
Gildan will work to provide employees with job transitioning and educational opportunities. Following acceptance of application for the US Trade Adjustment Assistance Act, impacted employees will be eligible for additional unemployment compensation and career-transition assistance.
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