In Switzerland, textile company HeiQ is seeing an uptick in interest for its virus-killing technology. Two fashion brands, Warp + Weft and DL1961, have begun using HeiQ’s Viroblock, which imparts sanitizing properties to jeans and creates a germ-resistant surface.
Certified 72% biobased, Viroblock is added during the manufacturing process and kills 99.9% of COVID-19 within 30 minutes—much quicker than the two days the virus can linger on fabrics at room temperature. Viroblock remains on the fabric for up to 30 washes.
“The pandemic has placed more importance on functionality, and we’re realizing how important it is to have less clothing, but also clothing that’s more functional and higher quality,” HeiQ’s CMO, Hoi Kwan Lam, recently told Vogue. “If you have a garment that’s cooling, water-repellent, and antiviral all at the same time, maybe you can buy one jacket instead of five.”