Home → Blog → Resources → 16 Real-Life Use Cases and Examples for Antimicrobial Products
In today’s increasingly hygiene-conscious world, antimicrobial additive solutions enable businesses to adapt their products to evolving consumer attitudes and needs. Crucially, additive technologies allow manufacturers to integrate antimicrobial protection into almost any material, ranging from hard surfaces like plastic and paper to paints, coatings and textiles. Consequently, antimicrobial technology is having a significant impact on a diverse array of products and industries. To illustrate just how wide-reaching and broad the potential applications are, we’ve highlighted 15 real-life antimicrobial agent examples and use cases from across several commercial sectors to examine in greater detail.
Demand for products that feature antimicrobial protection has grown considerably in recent years. We can attribute this to several key factors:
While manufacturers and consumers are more informed than ever and understand the core benefits of antimicrobial technology, many are unaware of the true extent of the value of antimicrobial solutions.
Though the consumer advantages of including antimicrobial solutions in products are clear, there are also benefits for manufacturers and businesses.
To illustrate just how broad and diverse the potential applications of antimicrobial additive solutions are, we selected 16 real-world use cases where the technology is already applied.
Healthcare facilities are understandably concerned with preventing the growth and spread of potentially harmful bacteria and other microbes. Hospital beds, which are typically in constant use and provide bacteria with good growing conditions, are a particular problem area. By treating the fabrics used in hospitals with antimicrobial solutions, healthcare providers help keep bedding fresh between washes, resulting in a more hygienic environment for both staff and patients.
Antimicrobial solutions also have a role to play in protecting medical professionals’ workwear. They can be found in scrubs, lab coats and other apparel used in hospitals, where healthcare providers want to prevent bacterial transmission or contamination. They also ensure the clothing benefits from fresher-for-longer odor control, enhancing wearer comfort.
Hospitality uniforms also benefit from effective antimicrobial protection. Chef and cook clothing are an excellent example of antimicrobial technology in action. Working with food, these individuals must ensure their workwear is clean and bacteria-free to prevent contamination. At the same time, they want to remain comfortable throughout their shift. Antimicrobial protection achieves this by managing the odors caused by bacteria that thrive in damp, warm and sweaty environments. For further protection, uniform manufacturers can combine the antibacterial Polygiene StayFresh solution with Polygiene OdorCrunch, a technology that tackles environmental odors, such as cooking fumes, and eliminates them from textiles.
Antimicrobial solutions are regularly employed in pet products as they often harbor bacteria. This is particularly true of dog beds, which can accumulate bacteria and quickly become smelly if not carefully maintained. In this antimicrobial example, the technologies reduce the amount of maintenance required, keeping the bed fresher and odor-free between washes.
We’ve all had experiences with smelly shoes, and most people know how difficult it is to get the odor out of a sweaty pair of trainers. Unfortunately, the soles of the feet sweat profusely when warm. This provides bacteria with the conditions and nutrition needed to proliferate. Antimicrobial solutions mitigate this, preventing the bacteria from multiplying and producing the unpleasant odors that linger in our shoes. While manufacturers can integrate antimicrobial solutions into any part of the shoes, such as the upper, they are often incorporated into insoles, where much of the sweat penetrates.
Activewear and specialist outdoor clothing suffer from much the same problem as shoes in that these items are designed to go sweaty. Left unwashed or untreated, gym gear, hiking clothes and other similar items will quickly begin to stink out the place as the bacteria in the material spreads. To counteract this, many brands now treat their activewear with Polygiene StayFresh. Not only does it keep clothes fresher and more comfortable, but it’s also a great way of ensuring items can be used for several consecutive days without smelling. This is ideal if you’re on a multi-day trek or hit the gym most mornings and can’t justify washing your gear every day.
In this next antimicrobial agent example, we demonstrate it’s not just functional textiles that benefit from antimicrobial protection. Lifestyle brands also incorporate the technology into everyday apparel, streetwear and high fashion items. In these products, antimicrobial agents play a pivotal role in enhancing wearer comfort and improving product sustainability. There is also a lot to be said for how confidence-inspiring Polygiene-treated clothing can be. If wearers sweat a lot or worry about personal odors on clothes, Polygiene StayFresh goes a long way to combatting those concerns.
Often close-fitting and worn in challenging environments or during periods of intense activity, protective equipment can get sweaty and smelly quickly. Whether we’re talking about knee pads for mountain biking or gloves for ice hockey, these items are prone to developing unpleasant odors and can be tricky to keep clean. Consequently, more and more protective products are incorporating Polygiene StayFresh into their designs, helping mitigate the smell, keep fabrics fresher between washes and prolong product lifespan.
Mass transit systems see an extraordinary amount of foot traffic on a daily basis and are environments where bacteria and other microorganisms can spread quickly. As such, including antimicrobial solutions in seat fabrics is highly beneficial. By preventing microbial growth, they minimize odors and enhance passenger comfort, making public transport a more appealing travel option.
Another high-touch transportation feature, airplane tray tables are often treated with antimicrobial solutions, helping them stay fresh between cleans and reducing the amount of maintenance required. While particularly important on trays because they are used for food consumption, antimicrobial technologies can be used on any high-touch surface, such as handrails, handles or armrests.
Phone and tablet cases are an excellent use case and example of antimicrobial protection as they are handled frequently and regularly placed against the face. As our hands are responsible for a significant amount of bacterial transmission – they touch a huge number of surfaces on any given day – this can pose problems. Some materials used to protect phones can also begin to smell if bacteria proliferate, making devices much less pleasant to use. The issue is exacerbated when multiple people use a single device, as often occurs with tablets in family settings.
Keyboards and mice feature plenty of recesses that are difficult to clean effectively and can harbor bacteria and other microbes. The fact that they require the use of the hands also means they accumulate microorganisms at a much faster rate than most other work items. This has become a more pressing issue with the rise of hotdesking and shared equipment, as transmission between individuals is far more likely. In these instances, antimicrobial protection is even more essential.
Safe food preparation depends on the effective management of bacteria and other microbes, as well as a strong focus on preventing contamination. Antimicrobial solutions integrated into kitchen worktops can help by providing inbuilt protection that resists microbial growth and reduces bacteria between deep cleans. We also see antibacterial protection becoming more and more commonplace in kitchen accessories, such as utensils and chopping boards.
Antimicrobial films and coatings on food packaging can protect the items contained within and extend their shelf life by preventing contamination and the spread of potentially dangerous bacteria. As certain bacteria, most notably E.coli, salmonella and campylobacter, are responsible for various health issues and can cause severe sickness, antimicrobial protection is an effective means of safeguarding food products.
Antimicrobial technology also now features prominently in many paints and coatings, preventing the growth of microorganisms in environments where they pose a significant risk, such as hospitals or laboratories. However, they are also used in everyday painting applications to ensure fungi and other microorganisms that can damage surfaces are not able to spread.
Our final antimicrobial example is for critical water infrastructure. In some instances, pipes and hoses that transport water can suffer from bacterial build-up that contaminates the water supply and affects users’ health. This is a significant issue when the hoses and pipes aren’t flushed through on a regular basis and may have water sitting in them for extended periods. Integrating antibacterial protection into these hoses prevents the growth of these harmful microorganisms and helps ensure the water supply remains safe for use.
Antimicrobial examples in textiles and hard surfaces
At Polygiene, our antimicrobial solutions are primarily designed for textiles. Our antibacterial Polygiene StayFresh solution is integrated into fabrics used by some of the biggest brands in the world, including The North Face, Adidas and Calvin Klein, and is trusted to deliver 24/7, long-lasting protection that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Rigorously tested, it is skin-safe, REACH compliant, bluesign® approved and OEKO-TEX® Eco Passport certified.
For antimicrobial solutions aimed at hard surfaces, Addmaster is the answer. Part of the Polygiene Group, it provides its industry-leading Biomaster solution to businesses in a diverse array of industries, ranging from the automotive and aviation sectors to construction and manufacturing.
Protect your products with Polygiene
If you are interested in protecting your textile-based products with Polygiene technology, we recommend contacting the Polygiene team. We are more than happy to discuss your needs and explore how our solutions can deliver value for your business.
Alternatively, learn more about our game-changing Polygiene StayFresh solution, check out our work with other brands in our case studies, or keep up to date with the latest Polygiene news via our blog.
