Silver-Coated Textiles Establish
New Markets
By Samuel Etris, Senior Technical Consultant
to The Silver Institute
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First Quarter 2008
H E AT E D
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G E R B I N G ’ S
THE
abrics that generate warmth, control bacteria, reduce odor, and stimulate muscle
tone may seem a bit futuristic, but clothing made of silver-coated textiles has
created a new class of consumer wear with more applications ahead.
Thirty years ago, silver-coated fibers were
introduced for use in antistatic rugs which proved
essential to prevent sparking in hospital operating
rooms. Electrical sparks present a danger amid
oxygen-rich areas. The antibacterial characteristics
of these fibers were soon put to use in stockings.
Sauquoit Industries, Inc., for example, began
marketing X-Static socks and underwear which
now reach a $50 million a year market.
Silverlon fabrics have revolutionized the
clinical dressing market. They provide effective
antibacterial control for wounded soldiers in the
Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The fabrics also are
made into antibacterial blankets for the wounded
as they are transported in military aircraft on long
These heated jackets rely
flights to veterans hospitals in the US.
on silver wires embedded
The electrical conductivity of silver-coated in textiles to keep
ProtexAg textiles manufactured by Carolina Silver wearers warm in
Technologies, LLC in Valdese, North Carolina, cold weather.
provides the clothing industry with a further advantage: electrically heated outerwear.
Gerbings Heated Clothing, Inc., manufactures motorcycle jackets of these textiles which,
when heated by the 12-volt motorcycle system, keep riders comfortable on the road in
winter. Scuba divers, hunters, and spelunkers also are recognizing the merits of batteryheated clothing to extend their time in cold environments. Military pilots flying at high
altitude during long missions can fly in warm comfort and at the same time reduce
muscle fatigue using these heated clothes.
During field trials of Silverlon, researchers noted relief of muscle fatigue. The skin is
the largest organ of the body, and nerve endings interact with the environment to convert
light, touch, and sound into electrical impulses that are transmitted to the central
nervous system for action. A prompt response often can mean the difference between
life and death. The electrical potential generated on the surface of the skin is known as
its transepithelial potential (TEP). Damage to the skin or bone alters this potential, and
pain is the body’s natural response. Silver-coated fabric blanketing the skin provides an
additional electrical circuit to the skin that enhances the restoration of normal electrical
impulses over areas where the TEP has been altered by stress and thus provides
effective pain relief. Silverlon fabrics engineered to reduce pain are being marketed as
‘BioEnhancement Orthotics’ and provide direct interaction with the skin to rebalance
altered TEP.
Silver fabrics also may prove useful for those with carpal tunnel syndrome. In a study
of 20 people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome conducted by Argentum Medical LLC
of Chicago, Illinois, patients wore a Silverlon Carpal Tunnel Sleeve 24 hours a day for
three weeks. The sleeve was removed every three to five days for washing. Patients were
then asked to complete a questionnaire. Nineteen of 20 patients reported a 70 percent
pain reduction within 96 hours and 95 percent pain reduction within two weeks.
Eighteen of 20 patients reported resolution of finger numbness within four weeks. The
two patients who did not report any change in sensation were insulin-dependent
diabetics.
As researchers learn more about the power of silver textiles, many more applications
are expected.
C L O T H I N G
F
Silver Keeps Humidifiers Germ Free
any people use humidifiers in their homes during winter months because moist, warm air
is healthier to breath than dry, heated air. This is especially true for infants and those with
respiratory problems.
Unfortunately, humidifiers need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly because mold and
mildew can build up in the water tank and other parts and disperse microscopic fungi and bacteria
into the air.
One humidifier, the Air-O-Swiss 7142 uses two silver-based parts to reduce these problems.
First, a replaceable demineralization cartridge reduces so-called ‘white dust,’ composed of lime
scale and other mineral deposits from the mist output. The plastic housing of the demineralization
cartridge is silver treated to inhibit microbial growth on the surface of the cartridge.
Second, a patented Ionic Silver Stick uses aqueous silver ions to control microbial growth for
up to one year of continuous use. This optional accessory uses the antimicrobial action of silver
to keep the unit safe and free of microbial growth. It is self-regulating and maintenance-free and
should be replaced once a year, company officials say. A lifecycle replacement indicator lets users
know when to change the Stick. The humidifier retails for $US199.
A I R - O - S W I S S
M
Humidifiers are prone
to germ and mildew
buildup but silver
ions keep this unit
free of microbes.
Hunters Wear Silver Clothes to Outfox Prey
S
tarting this fall, textile and chemical manufacturer
Milliken & Company and outdoor products company
Browning will team up to offer a retail line of scent-control
hunting apparel powered by Milliken’s VisaEndurance Shield,
which uses silver ions to control odors. Scent control is vital
for hunters because many animals, such as deer, can pick up
human odors from far away.
The new line, branded under Browning's new ScentSmart
line, was introduced at The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade
Show and Conference (SHOT Show) in Las Vegas in February.
VisaEndurance Shield is a technology that adsorbs and
suppresses most body odor molecules in fabrics, then releases
the odors during traditional home-machine laundering with
unscented detergents. According to Milliken officials,
VisaEndurance Shield fabrics are more breathable, flexible,
and less bulky than activated carbon-containing fabrics. The
technology works wet or dry, garments can be drip-dried or
tumble-dried, and the scent-control technology is effective for
the life of the garment. The first products will be a shirt, pants
(both US$100) and a T-shirt (US$64).
Browning currently sells base layer shirts and pants that
use VisaEndurance Ion, Milliken's silver-ion based technology
that prevents the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
"We recognize that scent control is one of the most
important success factors for hunters, and it's one of the most
difficult to manage," said Tom Leopard, general manager for
Milliken's Performance Fabrics. "At Milliken we're committed
to developing fabric technologies that provide hunters with
the best scent control and we're pleased to have Browning be
the first partner to bring both VisaEndurance Ion and
VisaEndurance Shield to market."
New Vacuum Cleaners Go Silver
hree vacuum cleaner makers are using silver ions to prevent bacteria buildup
in their dust holders.
The LG Kompressor is aimed at allergy and asthma sufferers and uses a dustcompressing technology that compacts dirt, dust, and other particles sucked up by
the vacuum into hygienic solid ‘bricks’ that are easy to dispose. The tank that holds
these bricks employ silver ions to prevent the growth of bacteria in the container
and stop dust fungus and viruses from spreading back into the room air.
The new vacuum cleaner also has a washable HEPA air filter that retains most
of the dirt particles. The LG Kompressor will be available in two models at a cost
of $US599 and $US799.
Another vacuum cleaner comes from Samsung, whose Silencio SC9540
($US200) uses silver ions in the dust bin, pre-motor filter and post motor filter of
the vacuum cleaner. According to company officials, this not only prevents the
build-up of bacteria and odors but ensures that the air emitted by the exhaust is
odor and bacteria free.
Finally, the Germ Guardian Clean2 Hand Vac portable vacuum cleaner
($US100) also employs silver embedded into the dirt cup to fight the growth of
odor-causing bacteria and mold.
L G
T
The LG Kompressor vacuum
cleaner compresses dust into
‘bricks’ which are kept in a bin
until disposal. Silver in the bin
prevents the growth of bacteria.
Silver of Peru Exhibit Opens in Finland
EverBank Offers Silver Certificates
of Deposit
F
or investors looking for a lower-risk way to invest in silver, EverBank offers Five-Year Certificates of Deposit that are
pegged to the price of silver.
If the price of silver increases in value over the term of the ‘MarketSafe CD,’ investors receive their principal plus additional
payment. If the price of silver drops, investors receive 100 percent of their principal upon maturity. Every six months, EverBank
records the spot price of silver, and at the end of the five-year period an average of these spot prices is returned to the investor.
CDs are issued on a particular date during the month. For deposits made before the deadline, money is held in the company’s
high-yield MarketSafe Cash Account.
There is a penalty for early withdrawals and the minimum deposit is $1,500. All accounts are FDIC insured. A gold CD is also
available.
For more information: www.everbank.com
D E L
P L ATA
PAT R O N AT O
n exhibition titled Silver of
Peru: 2,000 Years of Art
opened January at the Sinebrychoff
Art Museum in Helsinki and will move
to Turku later this year. Consisting of
184 silver pieces from Pre-Columbian,
Viceroyalty,
Republican
and
Contemporary Peruvian time periods,
the exhibit -- mounted by the
Patronato Plata del Peru in
cooperation with the Peruvian
Embassy in Finland and The Finnish
Art Gallery –illustrates the diverse
uses and functions of silver objects
through time.
Pre-Columbian pieces include
masks, nose ornaments, bracelets,
beakers, crowns and musical
instruments. Even though gold was
very important in pre-Columbian
These objects from the Siver of Peru: 2,000 Years of Art exhibit are
cultures, silver also was used for
on display this year in Finland.
objects with mystical-religious and
symbolic meanings.
The Viceroyalty and Republican periods are represented by incense pots, crowns, chalices and alms bowls, as well as
utilitarian pieces and dance ornaments. During the Viceroyalty period, silver played an important role in the economy; public
buildings displayed silver works and many households had silver objects. Silver also was used as currency. In the Republican
era, emancipation wars set back the craft of silversmithing. However, this time period also saw the emergence of silver liturgical
pieces.
The Modern Peruvian era is marked by three main uses: industrial silver, often machine-made products; handcrafted silver,
made in small individual and family workshops using manual tools; and silver pieces designed by college-trained artists.
Thirteen prize-winning silver pieces from the Peruvian Silver Contest organized annually by Patronato Plata del Peru are offered
as examples of modern Peruvian silver art.
The exhibit will be in Helsinki until May 18 and then moved to Turku’s Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova for display from June 7 to
August 31.
P E R U
A
Silver Ions for Smelly Locker Rooms
I
f any place needs germ protection, it’s locker rooms. To help inhibit bacterial, mold, and odor build-up on locker surfaces, as
well as stop the touch transfer of microbes on locker handles and doors, Lyon Workspace Products of Montgomery, Illinois,
has introduced silver-based antimicrobial lockers.
The lockers are finished in a silver-ion coating technology from DuPont and Agion that has been approved for medical
devices and food contact applications. The silver-ion technology is well suited for locker rooms because of the high moisture
content in the air and on clothing. Moisture triggers the controlled release of the silver ions.
Silver in Silk Would Allow Longer Storage
Periods in Humid Climates
cientists at the Indian Institute of
Technology in New Delhi have developed a
method to create anti-microbial silk by infusing
the delicate material with silver ions, according
to the April 2008 Journal of Applied Polymer
Science.
This marks the first time that silver ions
have been embedded into woven silk, although
it has been successfully applied to cotton and
synthetic textiles.
The researchers produced silver particles
through a chemical method that reduced silver
nitrate with agents such as hydrazine and
glucose. The particles were applied to silk and
showed 100 percent effectiveness against
bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus.
“Silver nanoparticles have been known for
anti-microbial activity, but silk treated with this
material is not a commercial product yet,”
Manisha Mathur, a senior scientist with the
Synthetic and Art Silk Mills Research
Association, told The (Calcutta) Times. “It
might add value to the silk, but it will raise the
cost, too.” The higher cost may be mitigated by
allowing silk stored in high humid environments
to resist microbe growth which ruins the fabric.
Silk fabrics have a tendency to attract germs
when stored for long periods of time.
Indian scientists are not the only ones
attempting to use silver as an antibacterial agent
in silk. In November, scientists at Inha
University in South Korea said they had
introduced silver particles into non-woven silk
for possible use as medical dressings.
One aesthetic challenge facing researchers
is a slight creamy color that silver brings to silk,
which would make the treated silk better suited
to colored fabrics rather than white.
W W W. S A R I . O R G
S
Silk stored in humid climates can harbor germs and
bacteria which ruin the fabric. Researchers are studying
how to imbed silver in woven silk to increase the material
storage life.
US Food and Drug
Administration
Okays First
Silver-Coated
Breathing Tube
Officials Say Silver Tube
Prevents Pneumonia and
Other Diseases
T
he US Food and Drug Administration in November
cleared for marketing a breathing tube coated with a thin
layer of silver designed to reduce the risk that patients on
ventilators will acquire pneumonia while in the hospital.
The Agento endotracheal tube, manufactured by C.R. Bard
Inc. in Murray Hill, New Jersey, is intended for patients who
must rely on a ventilator to breathe for 24 hours or more.
According to FDA officials, patients requiring such a breathing
support system are at risk of exposure to hospital-acquired
bacteria that can build up on the breathing tube or pass
through the tube to their lungs, eventually causing a lung
infection known as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
Fifteen percent of patients on ventilators develop VAP
every year and 26,000 die from the infection, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Patients who require ventilator support are at increased
risk for pneumonia, which poses a significant public health
issue. This product can help to lower this risk," said Daniel
Schultz, M.D., director of FDA's Center for Devices and
Radiological Health.
Although silver-coated catheters have been used for
several years, this is the first endotracheal tube coated with
silver, Schultz said. He noted that in a multicenter clinical trial
comparing the Agento breathing tube to an uncoated tube, the
percentage of patients who developed pneumonia was
reduced from 7.5 percent to 4.8 percent. The Agento tube also
delayed the onset of pneumonia.
C.R. Bard is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of
medical technologies in vascular medicine, urology, oncology
and surgical specialty products.
For Future Reference
Silver Prices 1979-2007
2008
High Low Average
Jan
16.95 15.17
16.05
2007
High Low Average
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
July
June
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
14.8
15.5
14.38
13.79
13.12
13.36
13.76
13.53
14.06
13.53
14.69
13.51
13.83
13.96
13.25
12.19
11.47
12.47
12.21
12.81
13.29
12.64
13.33
12.13
14.37
14.66
13.57
12.91
12.28
12.93
13.09
13.15
13.74
13.11
13.95
12.83
2006
High Low Average
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
July
June
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
14.06
14.06
12.21
13.07
12.90
11.51
12.25
14.85
14.50
11.62
9.84
9.85
12.36
13.72
10.71
10.76
11.85
10.46
9.60
12.28
11.67
9.71
9.10
8.82
13.23
13.83
11.59
11.56
12.22
11.16
10.69
13.44
12.63
10.40
9.52
9.18
Year
High Low Average
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
14.85 8.82
9.00 6.43
8.21 5.51
5.98 4.35
5.11 4.22
4.81 4.03
5.55 4.56
5.76 4.87
7.26 4.62
6.34 4.16
5.82 4.68
6.10 4.38
5.78 4.57
5.44 3.52
4.32 3.63
4.55 3.51
5.35 3.94
6.20 5.02
8.06 6.01
11.25 5.35
6.32 4.85
6.89 5.48
10.17 6.25
14.74 8.38
11.30 4.81
16.53 7.97
50.35 10.20
35.00 5.93
11.62
7.32
6.67
4.89
4.60
4.36
4.97
5.22
5.51
4.88
5.18
5.19
5.28
4.30
3.94
4.03
4.82
5.47
6.53
6.99
5.49
6.14
8.15
11.46
7.93
10.53
20.66
11.20
(COMEX settle)
The Silver Institute
El Instituto de la Plata
INCORPORATED 1971
A WORLDWIDE ASSOCIATION OF SILVER MINERS,
REFINERS, FABRICATORS AND MANUFACTURERS
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Editor, Larry Kahaner