Nanotechnology In Clothing (Silic)

Throughout the day, the clothes that we wore were exposed to many things that will cause the clothes to have dirty stains or smelly odours. The main factor for this would be the things that we eat or drink and also the things that we work with. We will have to change our clothes whenever we spilled something on it. However, with the invention of SILIC t-shirts, we do not have to do so as SILIC will keep us clean.

SILIC is a 100% cotton t-shirt that made up with the application of hydrophobic nanotechnology which is water repellent. Water repellency can be attained through impregnation or fabric finishing. Fabrics that are water repellent have open pores that allow liquid water such as air and vapour to penetrate when the hydrostatic pressure is high. As a result, stains and dirt can be simply run off from SILIC.

SILIC is the first self-cleaning t-shirts in clothing industry and it is created by Aamir Patel. In addition, the hydrophobic nanotechnology of SILIC is deemed to transform the whole textile industry. This nanotechnology links billions of silica particles to the fibres of the SILIC t-shirts on a microscopic level. By doing this, most of the liquid molecules would not be permitted to touch the fabric as there is a layer of air between the liquid molecules and fibres of fabric. The fibres of fabric set barriers to any potential trespassers by compressing the particles to 150-degree sphere and sway right off. Hence, SILIC is safe from stains and dirt such as sweat.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2525274/Student-invents-Silic-T-shirt-thats-impossible-stain.html

Unlike the other applications of hydrophobic nanotechnology that might cause cancer or is harmful to our health, we do not have to worry about this in SILIC shirts. According to Daily Mail, founder of SILIC shirts not only emphasis on customer satisfaction but also safety of customer, thus SILIC is completely safe without carcinogenic materials.

 image source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2525274/Student-invents-Silic-T-shirt-thats-impossible-stain.html

As SILIC shirt will still pick up the oil-based stain, so we still have to wash it. It is can be washed by using washing machine or hand. SILIC shirts can be washed up to 80 times before it lose its effectiveness in functioning. Everyone can own a SILIC shirt as it is not expensive, around $40.  I think that everyone afford to own a SILIC shirt as it is not expensive, around $40, it is just the problem of willingness to pay for such a shirt. Currently, Patel is collecting funds through the website Kickstarter for mass production.

Therefore, in my opinion, it actually brings bright future to humanity in a small scale which SILIC t-shirts help to prevent dirt and stains from people, eventually humans are protected from bacteria and diseases. In addition, if such technology able to apply to all fabric, military or medical field and available to everyone in future, it can help to prevent diseases or infections outbreak and human do not need to worry of being affected by any disease anymore.

Written By: Team 3 (Eiu Teng & Liew Ke Zin)

References:

Silic, (2014). About Silic Shirts | Silic Shirts. [online] Silicshirts.com. Available at: http://silicshirts.com/about-silic-waterproof-shirts/ [Accessed 2 Jun. 2015].

Threadsmith, (2015). Threadsmiths Clothing Technology | Hydrophobic T-Shirts | Smart Fabric. [online] Threadsmiths. Available at: http://www.thethreadsmiths.com/ [Accessed 2 Jun. 2015].

 Tuvie, (2015). Silic T-Shirt Self Cleaning Clothing That Resists Stain | Tuvie. [online] Tuvie.com. Available at: http://www.tuvie.com/silic-t-shirt-self-cleaning-clothing-that-resists-stain/ [Accessed 2 Jun. 2015].

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Silver Nanoparticles from fabric is harmful to environment?

Fabric Industry has been applying nanoparticles for years, and this transformation of fabric industry has become very controversial to environmentalists which some chemicals of nanoparticles from fabric bring harms to the environment.

Silver nanoparticles, one of the well-known chemical nanoparticles that being used by common clothing factories is found out that it brings potential harm to the environment.

Silver nanoparticles are harmful to every living organism especially aquatic livings which silver nanoparticles will bring an evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria even mutation of the living creatures. Silver nanoparticles from clothing would increase the concentration of silver ions in waste water and damage the nature of ecosystems permanently in long term. Nanosilver will cause mutation and death of fishes and their embryos which leads fish to have defected swim ballders, tails and eyes as well as congestive heart failure.

Image Source: http://www.mosiab.com/nano-silver.php

Image Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nanotechnology-silver-nanoparticles-fish-malformation/

Hence, this indicates that nanosilver able to affect the food chain in nature, eventually it might bring harms to human as well. So, even nanosilver is unable to go through human skins but it able to go through our body by consuming foods which are contaminated with nanosilver. 

Written By: Team 3 (Eiu Teng & Liew Ke Zin)

References:

NanoWerk, 2011. Nanotechnology solutions for self-cleaning, dirt and water-repellent coatings. [Online] Available at: http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=19644.php [Accessed 31 May 2015].

Soutter, W., 2015. Nanotechnology in Clothing. [Online] Available at: http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3129 [Accessed 31 May 2015].

Thiry, M.C., 2010.Always Touching Fabric. Association of Textile, Apparel & Materials Professionals. [Online] Available at: https://www.aatcc.org/media/Read/documents/Nanotech0910.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2015].

Stimers, P., 2008. The Implications of Recent Nanomaterials Toxicity Studies for the Nanotech Community. [Online] Nanotechnology Law and Business. Vol. 5. No. 3. Available at: http://www.klgates.com/files/Publication/2b1f4c2a-298b-4948-9ce7-69f1396b61ac/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/bbdf8cdc-be42-4fa6-b942-7263b449d0b3/Article_Stimers_Nanotech.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2015].

Shetler, G., 2009. Fish Kill: Nanosilver Mutates Fish Embryos. Scientific American. [Online] Available at: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nanotechnology-silver-nanoparticles-fish-malformation/ [Accessed 31 May 2015].

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Nanotechnology-based Fabric, an Opportunity or Risk?

Image Source: http://buddhajeans.com/2015/03/07/introduction-to-nanotechnology-in-fashion-and-textile-industry/

Nanotechnology business opportunities are everywhere especially under textile industry. Based on National Science Foundation prediction, by 2015, the market of nanotechnology business in fabric industry would reach up to 1 trillion US dollars in United State. Globally, consumers’ demand for convenience are increasing caused nanotechnology based textiles to grow rapidly into the future. 

Since 2001, many clothing brands  such as Gap, Eddie Bauer and Levi Strauss started to apply nanotechnology into their product which they began to use nanofibers to produce pants, shirts and sweaters in order to make their products water and wrinkle resistant. It is expected that such technology promised a new breathing market for textile industry.

Moreover, due to the increase of nanotechnology based fabric factory, it helps to create more and new high-value jobs in the area of research and development, design, operation as well as sales and marketing. Consequently, it helps to increase job opportunities and eventually helps to stabilise the unemployment rate of the country.

image Source: http://www.luxurystnd.com/indochino-launches-the-oeultimate-tech%C2%B9-smart-suit/

 image Source: http://www.warponline.org/uploads/contents/93-content-10.-Strategy-for-Introducing-Nanotechnology-in-Textile-Industry-of-Pakistan.pdf

However, there are still underlying risk for nanotechnology-based fabric industry. The total funding for such technology always shared between researchers of different areas and commercial company from different field. There is always a gap between researcher and company objectives. For instance, European Union-project’s researchers emphasis more on health care and work wear while the business company activities are more towards to sport and fashion areas. Hence the result expected from each researcher or company is different will creates a conflict in business decision making, eventually brings commercial risk to the business. 

image Source: http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/nanotechnology/two-foolish-ways-to-invest-your-money-in-graphene

Therefore, in my personal point of view, even though there are risks and much research still need to be done to enhance nanotechnology-based fabrics, the process still will help to create job and business opportunities. Eventually, business opportunities created from nanotechnology-based fabric industry will help to increase the quality of life in future as in the aspect of economic and lifestyle.

Written By: Team 3 (Go Yuan Fon)

References:

Pietro, C., Bruce, H., Lorence, A.P., 2006. Nanotechnology and the North Carolina Textile Industry. UNC Kenan-Flager Business School. [Online] Available at: http://extranet.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/kicse/orig%20shared%20documents/nanotechnology%20and%20the%20nc%20textile%20industry.pdf [Accessed 3 Jun. 2015].

Glora, O.A., Luqman A., Butt., N.M., 2011. Strategy for Introducing Nanotechnology in Textile Industry of Pakistan. [Online] International Journal of Chemical and Environmental Engineering. Volume 2. Available at: http://www.warponline.org/uploads/contents/93-content-10.-Strategy-for-Introducing-Nanotechnology-in-Textile-Industry-of-Pakistan.pdf [Accessed 3 Jun. 2015].

Nanotox, 2010. Textiles and Clothing. Risk Assesment and Risk Management Exclusivelty for Nanoparticles. Available at: http://www.nanotox.com/industries/textiles-and-clothing.html [Accessed 3 Jun. 2015].

OECD International Futures Programme 2015. Opportunities and risks of Nanotechnologies. [Online] Available at: http://www.oecd.org/science/nanosafety/37770473.pdf. [Accessed 3 Jun. 2015].

Berglin. L., 2013. Smart Textiles and Wearable Technology - A study of smart textiles in fashion and clothing. A report within the Baltic Fashion Project. [Online] Available at: http://www.hb.se/Global/THS/BalticFashion_rapport_Smarttextiles.pdf [Accessed 3 Jun. 2015].

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Nanotechnology is small but the future is big!

In conclusion, nanotechnology is a small scale of developing technology but it bring bigger future than we can ever imagine. No matter which field nanotechnology falls, either medical, food or fabric industry, it actually helps to restore hope of humanity in term of improving the health of mankind.

In medical field point of view, nanoparticles that applied in diagnosis able to detect diseases and cancers in our body easily while nanomedicine that applied in drug delivery and therapy able to ease the way of transferring drugs and able to reduce the side effect on curing our diseases or cancers.

As in food industry, nanotechnology applied in food packaging helps to kills and minimize the harmful bacteria, improve quality and appearance as well as reduce the nutritional deficiencies of the foods.Where else, nanotechnology in fabric industry helps to improve the quality of clothes and wears and prevent dirt and stains which helps to protect human from diseases and harmful bacteria and eventually lowers the rate of diseases outbreak or infection.

In business perspective, nanotechnology considered as a big market that able to help to boost up the economy globally that improves the quality of life style of human beings.In fact, nanotechnology is indeed a path that brings bright future to humanity but there are risks on every path so does nanotechnology. Nanoparticles will bring harms to human and environment and there is always commercial risk under the business perspective.

Therefore, if researchers and businessmen even every one of us work together and solve the risks and challenges that faced by nanotechnology, I believe that this little nanotechnology can be the big warrior that protect humanity and brighten up our future.

So, without nanotechnology do we actually able to survive? No, I would say.

Source: http://trialx.com/curetalk/2012/10/nanotechnology-significance-and-applications-in-the-living-world/

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