Meeting the safety concerns of consumers and offering them a viable and secure solution against COVID-19, India’s leading textile manufacturer RSWM Ltd has launched anti-viral fabric range ‘ViroSecure’, through a strategic technology partnership with HeiQ that lends its antiviral Viroblock technology to formulate a protective coating on the fabric.
HieQ Materials AG’s Viroblock technologyoffers 99.99 per cent protection against SARS-CoV-2 in just 30 minutes (based on modified ISO 20743 method). With ViroSecure, RSWM is targeting 20 per cent of sales in FY 2020-21.
“As the world reels under COVID-19 impact, we, as a company have the responsibility towards our consumers, and are committed to equipping them with the resources to adapt to this new normal. With a legacy of over five decades, RSWM has been offering innovative solutions in the suiting as well as denim segment and meeting the fabric demands of our discerning consumers. Towards this, we are pleased to launch the ViroSecure fabric range that offers anti-COVID protection against the spread and transmission of the pathogen. Together with our partner HeiQ, we aim to become a reliable choice for consumers to bring in a seamless continuity to our lifestyle, enabling a secure and future-ready environment. There is a significant uptake in the demand for the anti-viral fabric technology; and with this, we are targeting 20 per cent of the sales from the ViroSecure fabric in this fiscal,” said Suketu Shah, CEO and business head, Mayur Suiting and LNJ Denim.
HeiQ Viroblock technology is among the first textile technologies in the world to have a proven effect against SARS-CoV-2 in the laboratory. Tests conducted by this Swiss textile innovator in association with the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia (Doherty Institute) highlighted that treated fabric demonstrated a rapid antiviral action against the SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. The fabric sample with HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 destroys viruses after 30 minutes of coming in contact. This offers a SARS-CoV-2 virus reduction of over 99.9 per cent. Viroblock treated textiles are also hypoallergenic, self-sanitising, and germ-resistant. The fabric has been made by Mayur Suiting with HeiQ Viroblock technology and tested successfully by HeiQ’s Switzerland laboratories.
Talking about the association with RSWM, Carlo Centonze, CEO, HeiQ Group, said, “We are driven by the purpose of improving the lives of people and communities by perfecting everyday products. HeiQ’s Viroblock is a breakthrough innovation extending a special combination of advanced silver and vesicle technology. It is effective against the human coronavirus 229E & SARS-CoV-2, and lab tests have proven that it reduces 99.99 per cent of the virus in 30 minutes. Testings conducted against the Sendai virus provide 99.2 per cent reduction of the virus in two minutes and 99.7 per cent in just five minutes. As a leading homegrown textile company, we are pleased to partner with RSWM to extend our technology to millions of consumers in India and benefit the larger communities across the globe.”
‘ViroSecure’ is a premium segment brand that will be marketed under Mayur, RSWM’s flagship brand for suiting and shirting. Mayur will be prioritising and offering the ViroSecure fabric for making uniforms for frontline healthcare workers, school children, and defense and police personnel, in addition to suiting and shirting requirements.
