Research and Development

The activities and products of the textile industry have undergone enormous changes in recent decades. As a result, the textile and clothing industry has also become a knowledge-intensive industry, and today it uses the latest material science results, technological, technical and IT innovations in its activities.

Textile products are suitable for protecting people and their health, all the while being comfortable and thus play a role in improving the quality of human life. In several areas, they are indispensable elements of technological solutions that ensure sustainable development. By exploiting the strengthening effect of high- performance fibres and textiles, new structural materials are created, which enable a more rational use of natural resources and energy in a range of products and technologies.

Since its establishment, INNOWEAR -TEX Kft. has placed great emphasis on innovation, research and development in its activities.

  • We constantly monitor the latest scientific results of the profession and strive to apply them in the selection of both technology and raw materials.
  • Previous own and applied Research and Development and innovation results in existing products:
    • bacteria repellent finish with silver ion: Ultra-Fresh
    • development of electromagnetic shielding clothes (LANUGO)
    • fabric development with fungicidal and antibacterial properties
    • face mask development
    • isolation net protection against bugs

CLOSED PROJECT

Project title

Environmentally friendly antimicrobial material for textile with improved properties

Project identifier: KET4CP-SME2020-08- NO.24

Period of time: 2020.10.01 – 2021.03.30

Project participants

  • INNOWEAR-TEX Kft.
  • Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI, Slovenia)
  • CITEVE Technological Institute (Portugal)

Professional description of the project

Within the framework of the project, together with two foreign research institutes, we are developing a textile finish with an antimicrobial effect on a circular knit material. This, compared to the nano-silver finish, is more environmentally friendly and also has better properties considering its physiological effect.

CLOSED PROJECT

The [2020-1.1.1-KKV-START-2020- 00195] project was funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office from the National Research Development and Innovation Fund through the [2020-1.1.1-KKV-START] tender program.

Project title

Development of textiles for clothing with a repellent effect using natural plant extracts

Project identifier: 2020-1.1.1-KKV- START-2020-00195

Period of time: 2021.01.01 – 2022.12.31

Project participants   

  • INNOWEAR-TEX Kft.
  • BME Department of Chemical and Environmental Process Engineering
  • BAY Zoltán Alkalmazott Kutatási Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.
  • PharMagist Zrt.

Short professional description of the project

The goal of INNOWEAR-TEX Kft.'s project "Development of textiles for clothing with a repellent effect using natural plant extracts" was the technical implementation of a round-knitted cotton textile prototype containing essential oils of natural origin with repellent effect. The textile prototype created as a result of the project enables the creation of a new, innovative clothing product, which, in addition to its comfort benefits, can reduce serious health risks with its repellent effect, as it provides the wearer with security against mosquitoes, ticks and diseases spread by them. The goal of the development is to provide a solution for the volatile components with a repellent effect to be fixed on the surface of the fiber in such a way that they are retained even after washing, and for the development to use natural components that can be produced domestically, taking into account sustainability aspects. The project aims to pay particular attention to sustainability, so it is based on natural, cellulose and organic cotton-based materials. It uses raw, white or pastel colors, which require less energy and water consumption. The preparation of the project was based on the analysis of statistics published by the Hungarian National Public Health Center on reported infectious diseases caused by insects. In the project, essential oils also available in the domestic processing industry were successfully tested. To implement the project, INNOWEAR-TEX Kft used the professional knowledge of BME VBK university researchers, BAY ZOLTÁN Nonprofit Kft researchers, pharmacological experts, and other textile chemical industry experts. In the course of the project, the technology for attaching to the fiber surface was developed in the BME VBK laboratory, which fits into the current production technology. INNOVATEXT Zrt proved with independent laboratory tests that the properties of the produced textiles did not change, neither in feel nor in color. The result of the project was the production of a finished circular knitted material which has a repellent effect against insects, thus protecting against infectious diseases spread by mosquitoes and ticks. The repellent effect against mosquitoes is documented in a protocol based on experiments conducted by NÉBIH. The area of use is expected to be the Hungarian and international public procurement market, and the civilian population as the final user, of which, based on the infection statistics published by the NNK over several years, the age group over 60 and children represent the greatest market potential. It is well known that some commercially available insecticidal clothing contains permethrin, the use of which as an insecticide has already been banned by the European Union. Given that the developed product contains a natural repellent, the segment of consumers that increasingly prioritizes environmental considerations can be considered a definite target group. The new, innovative clothing product developed in the framework of the project, circular knitted cotton textile with a repellent effect of natural origin, is unique on the current Hungarian market, because it combines the good qualities of similar products currently offered by competitors in a sustainable and nonharmful way. In the future, an increasing demand for protection against diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks is expected, which is due to the extremely large increase in the number of insects due to climate change. The developed product is produced in the production network of Innowear-Tex Kft. in Hungary, so it is a 100% Hungarian product. The product range serves sustainable development, as well as ensuring local production, which avoids environmentally polluting deliveries, and reduces the ecological footprint of production, elements that predict a positive reaction on the market.