The environmental impact of textiles arising from microfiber shedding has increased dramatically over the past years as the use of synthetic fibers in the apparel industry continues to grow and fast fashion business models continue to gain share. Fiber fragmentation and resulting microplastic and chemical pollution affects waterways, the air and soil.
Livinguard Better Fresh combines a functional and an environmental benefit in a single solution. On the one hand, the technology provides leading odor control which is a valuable functional benefit for consumers. On the other hand, the solution reduces fiber fragmentation by up to 80 percent and extends the product’s useful life — resulting in a superior safety, environmental, and cost profile for apparel brands. Both claims have been extensively validated in the course of several in-house trials and testing conducted with independent laboratories.
This new product is the result of a long development journey with deep global collaboration. Livinguard leveraged extensive R&D investments over the past 15 years to develop a proprietary blend of chemistry that has then been thoroughly tested for performance, safety, environmental impact, and compliance with the highest industry standards in mind (e.g. bluesign). Furthermore, Livinguard Technologies used the company’s extensive know-how in textile finishing to optimize and streamline the application of the technology in a real-world environment, ensuring the innovation can be deployed seamlessly on existing equipment and in established processes.
Recognizing that awareness for the environmental impact of textile microfiber shedding is still emerging among consumers and that demand for solutions addressing this issue alone may be consequently limited, Livinguard Technologies have chosen to integrate odor control functionality, a well-understood and valued benefit, with this innovative fiber protection technology.
This two-in-one solution allows brands and manufacturers alike to fund most costs for the chemical solution itself and for managing the complexity associated with its implementation by substituting their existing odor control technologies with Livinguard Better Fresh. Many established odor control solutions are prone to leach out over time and consequently increase chemical pollution arising from textiles. Livinguard’s new technology binds permanently to the treated fibers and strongly holds them together to ensure the least possible chemical and microfiber discharge.
The Livinguard Better Fresh technology is officially launched during the Functional Fabric Fair in NYC and Functional Textiles in Shanghai while further validation activities are carried out with partners from academia, external laboratories as well as pilot customers (apparel brands & textile mills) worldwide.
This new technology can substantially contribute to various established solution pathways for microfiber pollution as it allows for the development or further improvement of low-shedding fabrics with minimal impact on established production equipment and supply chains. Furthermore, due to its built-in odor control functionality, it enables consumers to use their clothes longer and adopt more sustainable laundry practices (e.g. washing at lower temperatures). Finally, it enhances product longevity without any negative impact on recycling / circularity of the treated clothes. Overall, Livinguard Better Fresh provides a cost-effective solution to make tangible and substantial progress in the fight against plastic pollution quickly.
“Environmental pollution caused by microfibers from textiles has reached absurd proportions,” said Sanjeev Swamy, CEO and founder of Livinguard Technologies AG. “There is an urgent need for action, and we cannot wait any longer and hope that the problem will solve itself. It is time to act quickly and decisively to prevent irreparable environmental damage. Our innovative technology can make a meaningful contribution to solving this global problem.”
“No solution is perfect — neither is this one,” said Dr. Alok Goel, R&D manager at Livinguard Technologies AG. “But this technology provides meaningful impact and it can be implemented today to complement ongoing efforts to mitigate microfiber shedding that are already ongoing. As a society we must act today and stop the bleeding.”
“Everybody talks about sustainability — however nobody is willing to pay for solutions that help to mitigate the environmental impact of the clothes we wear every day,” said Jan Hilger, head of Textiles at Livinguard Technologies AG. “The entire industry runs on nickels and dimes. I believe that with this combined solution that offers both a functional as well as an environmental benefit, we have a commercially viable approach available that allows actors to do better without breaking the bank.”
