FUZE Technology has raised the bar on the textile industry’s antimicrobial efficacy and environmental impact testing through its Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval process.
In general terms, all companies — brands, factories and distributors, for example — working in the textile industry are doing everything possible to innovate in ways that will enhance products and sustain and improve our environmental impact immediately and for future generations. Testing of products — including the prominent testing of antimicrobial products — is a key indicator on how effective efforts are in achieving the goals of product enhancement and what impact a company and its products make on the environment.
There are several industry tests and certifications that have been generally accepted as “check-the-box” measures that many use to show their efforts to meet a minimum standard of excellence. With more than 15 years of experience in the vertical as a state-of-the-art antimicrobial product provider, FUZE believes there is a better way.
“The European Union (EU) has voiced its desire to raise anti-microbial testing standards to a level that far exceeds today’s testing, to encompass testing that identifies a product’s efficacy AND its effect on human interaction,” said Andrew Peterson, FUZE Technology’s chief technology officer.
According to the article, Questions and Answers on EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles European Commission, the EU’s strategy proposes: “actions for the entire lifecycle of textiles products, while supporting the ecosystem in the green and digital transitions.” The EU envisions tighter controls on greenwashing, with stricter rules to protect consumers and direct links to the upcoming Green Claims Initiative.
“FUZE’s technology creates product that is used in both medical devices and as a therapeutic. Because of its impact in human healthcare, FUZE is currently underway with its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing and protocol,” Peterson said. “In March 2024, FUZE passed its pre-investigational new drug application with the FDA, a process used for early-stage trial strategies and guides approvals.”
According to Peterson, FUZE’s FDA testing far exceeds any textile standard and includes animal studies proving the safety and efficacy of FUZE’s product even when ingested by fish and animals. Additionally, FUZE’s antimicrobial product in 99.7 percent purified water with no harmful chemicals, providing further evidence of its positive, non-harmful impact on the environment.
In addition to FDA testing, FUZE’s recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval outlines product benefits never seen in the textile industry.
Our approval far exceeds the industry norms. The EPA has verified the lifetime durability of FUZE’s applications used in textiles and surfaces for antimicrobial effects, and shows longer-lasting color protection, enhanced cooling and drying, and faster moisture-wicking capabilities, Peterson added.
“While FUZE supports normal testing efforts used to identify all anti-microbial products’ efficacy and environmental impact, FUZE has raised a much higher standard with its FDA testing, to fully understand what impact an anti-microbial product has on human interaction and long-term effect. FUZE focuses on a significantly higher standard of accountability as we look to the future of our industry and its impact on future generations.”
