Polygiene Freshness solutions eliminate odors in textiles, making them ideal for products that are in regular contact with one of the smelliest areas of the human body – the feet! While some anti-odor solutions utilize antibacterial technology to deal with unpleasant odors in footwear, others use silica-based antibacterial shoe insole technology. Here, we explore the difference between the two and how both types of solutions are employed to protect shoe insoles.
Antibacterial shoe insoles prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria in footwear. This helps to minimize and eliminate bad smells, keeping your shoes smelling and feeling fresher for longer. Specialist antibacterial insoles tend to integrate advanced additive technologies, such as Polygiene StayFresh™. In contrast, solutions like Polygiene OdorCrunch™ use silica-based technology to combat environmental odors. While both help keep odors at bay and enhance comfort, the former targets bacterial odors and the latter tackles the molecules responsible for bad smells.
Foot and shoe odor are common issues that affect many people and significantly impact comfort and self-confidence. Understanding why the feet pose such a considerable problem gives us valuable insight into why antibacterial shoe insoles are so effective.
Bacteria are one of the most common causes of unpleasant odors and are particularly problematic when concentrated in textiles, apparel, and footwear. Tackling bacterial growth is one of the most efficient and effective means of preventing bad smells in footwear.
Antibacterial shoe inserts benefit users in several ways.
Personal odors are a big self-confidence issue for many people. Unpleasant smells can make us feel incredibly self-conscious and influence our behavior. For instance, many people may feel uncomfortable removing their shoes in indoor spaces and avoid environments where that may occur. By keeping our feet and shoes fresher for longer, shoe insole odor-control solutions empower users and enable them to be more comfortable and confident.
When your shoes smell less, you don’t have to wash or clean them as frequently. Reduced maintenance means less hassle for users.
The washing process is hard on textiles and is one of the primary causes of premature wear and tear. This is particularly true of fabrics we clean in the washing machine. By reducing the frequency with which you need to wash your insoles and footwear, antibacterial, anti-odor shoe insole technology extends a product’s expected lifespan.
Machine washing is a resource-intensive process that consumes large amounts of water and electricity. The more regularly you wash your insoles or shoes, the less environmentally friendly the product is. Similarly, shoes that last longer are replaced less often, further enhancing their overall environmental performance.
Standard insoles offer no antibacterial protection. In fact, they provide bacteria with the perfect conditions for growth. They typically absorb and retain sweat, creating the damp and warm conditions in which odor-causing bacteria thrive. Over time, insoles capture and amplify these odors, compounding the problem. The only solution is to wash the insoles, which not only results in premature wear but also does nothing to prevent the bacteria and bad smells from returning.
The Polygiene StayFresh solution utilizes silver ion technology to combat bacterial growth. This technology is based on silver chloride – a salt that occurs naturally in water and soil – and has been extensively tested and proven to be completely skin-safe. It combats bacteria in three distinct ways:
Polygiene’s approach to antibacterial additive solutions is renowned for its efficacy, ease of application, and longevity. Integrated into materials at the point of manufacture, it provides 24/7 protection, keeping your shoes fresher for longer.
However, Polygiene StayFresh isn’t the only anti-odor solution in our product portfolio. Polygiene OdorCrunch leverages advanced silica-based technology to tackle body and environmental odors. The natural silica particles in the solution capture the molecules responsible for bad smells that cling to fabric fibers, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur molecules.
They then surround the molecules and “crunch” them, breaking them down and nullifying the odor. It is a highly effective solution for insoles, especially when combined with Polygiene StayFresh.
Dr. Scholl’s – a Polygiene insoles case study
Founded in 1906, Dr. Scholl’s is arguably the world’s foremost foot care and foot health brand, having acquired more than 115 years of experience and expertise. Today, it produces a diverse range of clinically approved products, from skincare products to insoles and orthotics. In 2018, the brand partnered with Polygiene to integrate our game-changing Freshness solutions into its insoles.
For Dr. Scholl’s, Polygiene antibacterial shoe insoles distinguish the brand from the competition and provide customers with additional value. It ensures Dr. Scholl’s customers don’t have to worry about unpleasant odors in footwear and benefit from enhanced comfort and self-confidence.
Read more about Polygiene’s partnership with Dr. Scholl’s.
At Polygiene, we make integrating our Freshness technologies into products as easy as possible. Incorporating the additive into the manufacturing process is relatively straightforward and requires little disruption to existing processes, and Polygiene also offers comprehensive marketing support to all its partners.
Head to the Polygiene StayFresh and Polygiene OdorCrunch solution pages to learn more about our Freshness products. Alternatively, reach out to the Polygiene team if you have any questions.
