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“I think that for textile finishes we will find that nanometer-thin coatings will become more relevant. They do not change the textile character (flexibility, haptics, etc.) and are very durable (e.g. wash-fastness). Such coatings can strongly adhere to literally any substrate material. These coatings will be produced on industrial scales as an extension of today’s textile finishing technology using wet-chemical and plasma processes.”
– Dr. Manfred Heuberger
“In the fitness arena, there are a plethora of products on the market that can essentially measure heart rate and steps taken—very basic parameters. At Electrozyme, we’ve demonstrated the unique ability to extract chemical information directly from the epidermis that can provide crucial insight into metabolic function and performance levels. This is a new capability that will substantially augment the information content that is currently relayed to the user.”
– Dr. Joshua Windmiller
“The general direction of nanotechnology research on textiles is hydrophobic [water resistant] and oleophobic [oil resistant] coatings. At the moment we have established products in our range using silicon dioxide—the main component of glass or sand. The products are very successful in the market, however, as a developer we are still working on improving the formulas.”
– Oliver Sonntag
“Applications for new nanotechnologies will be to replace existing methodology for the same functionality. For example, we can now kill bacteria much more efficiently with very small nanoparticles as opposed to larger ones with antibacterial components; we can conduct electricity in fibers without modifying the properties of fibers and they will remain flexible, without the use of wires; and we can make color without using dyes by controlling the interactions between the particles and the light. We’re working on multifunctionality—textiles that can perform many functions at the same time.”