I-Tex - Innovative textiles for a healthier healthcare environment
I-Tex was a research and innovation project aimed at reducing the spread of healthcare-associated infections through smarter textile materials. The project brought together stakeholders from research, healthcare, and industry to explore how intelligent textiles can contribute to cleaner, safer, and more sustainable hospital environments.
Why?
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a major societal problem and one of healthcare's biggest challenges. They cause both suffering and high costs – and lead to increased antibiotic use, which in turn drives antibiotic resistance, one of the most serious threats to human health.
Part of the problem lies in the environment itself – in the textiles we touch daily: work clothes, bed linen, curtains, and cleaning materials. I-Tex aimed to reverse the perspective: from textiles as a risk factor to textiles as an active part of the solution. Using new technology, materials that repel bacteria, materials treated with beneficial bacteria, and new methods for measuring cleaning quality were tested – all with the goal of reducing the spread of infection without increasing chemical use.
Background
The project was carried out between 2014–2016 with support from Vinnova, under the leadership of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. Participants included the Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås, Coor Service Management, Capio S:t Göran's Hospital, Textilia, Linda Rosendahl Nordin and Joachim Åhlander from Pure Effect, and several technology and materials companies.
Results & Insights
I-Tex showed that textiles and microorganisms can interact for better hygiene – without compromising function, comfort, or the environment. The project developed and tested three main tracks:
• Hydrophobic textiles for staff uniforms that repel bacteria
• Antibacterial wipes for cleaning that reduce the spread of infection
• Probiotic textiles, treated with beneficial bacteria that could outcompete unwanted microbes
Field tests also showed that bacteria-containing cleaning solutions could change the bacterial flora in water traps and floor drains, and reduce the amount of unwanted bacteria in these known reservoirs of infection – a concrete example of how beneficial bacteria can create healthier environments.
The project contributed new knowledge about how behavior, material choices, and microbiology are interconnected, with potential for future collaborations concerning sustainable healthcare hygiene and biotechnology in practice.
Discover more
Read more about the results at:
Vinnova: I-Tex, Intelligent use of Innovative Textiles for a healthier patient-near hospital environment
The Swedish School of Textiles in Borås: I-Tex - Intelligent use of innovative textile materials for a healthier patient-near hospital environment
Glossary
✓BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotechnology involves using microorganisms to produce substances we need (such as medicines and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemicals) and to break down substances we want to remove; everything from grease and dirt to oil spills, wastewater, and toxic substances in soil and water.
✓BIOTECHNOLOGICAL CLEANING
The biological cleaning method differs radically from the chemical one. With the help of chemical cleaning agents, we can eliminate all life forms – friends and foes. This creates a temporary biological vacuum, where bacteria quickly re-establish themselves.
Cleaning with bacteria, Pure Effect's method, means that a selected and beneficial bacterial flora replaces that which arose randomly. Pure Effect's bacteria then effectively compete out the unwanted ones, which prolongs the effect of the biological cleaning.
✓ENZYMES
Enzymes are highly specialized substances produced by all living things. They are absolutely essential for specific biochemical reactions to take place at low temperatures, without the addition of energy, for example, inside the body. In laundry and cleaning products, enzymes specialized in breaking down fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and other organic waste are used.
✓FERMENTATION EXTRACT
A fermentation extract contains enzymes and forms the base of our cleaning products. The fermentation extract consists of fermenting bacteria and the enzymes they produce. The enzymes are specifically selected for our various products and their areas of application.
✓ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
Enzymatic hydrolysis is a process where specialized enzymes break down larger molecules into their constituent parts using water molecules. Our bacteria cleave fat molecules (triglycerides) into glycerol and free fatty acids, making them easily soluble and simpler for our beneficial bacteria to break down and consume.
✓PROBIOTIC
Probiotic bacteria are living bacteria with beneficial effects – not least in our bodies. Among other things, their activity inhibits the growth of disease-causing bacteria.
✓MICROBIOME
The term "microbiome" is used to define and describe a specific microbial ecosystem – that is, an ecosystem consisting of microorganisms. These miniature ecosystems, however, operate under the same laws as all other ecosystems on Earth. Organisms compete for resources, cooperate in networks, or wage war against each other – and those most successfully adapting to the surrounding environment will survive, reproduce, and dominate.
✓BACTERIA
Bacteria are microorganisms, meaning single-celled life forms. Our relationship with them is complicated, as we know that some of them cause diseases. But we also know that bacteria are essential for life both in nature and in the body. For humans, they can be both friends and foes. Our "friends" can be induced to perform a variety of useful services – what we call biotechnology. At Pure Effect, we use the ability of beneficial bacteria to break down dirt and remove odors, as well as their ability to outcompete or combat undesirable bacteria.
All life on Earth can be divided into three large, overarching categories (domains), based on genetic data. These domains consist of Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota. Bacteria consequently have an entire domain to themselves – a vast kingdom containing infinite variation and diversity. All bacteria, however, share certain common characteristics; among other things, they lack a cell nucleus. https://artfakta.se/taxa/5000052/information
The domain Archaea also contains only single-celled organisms. They lack a cell nucleus, but are not related to bacteria. Link: https://artfakta.se/taxa/5000082/information
The domain Eukaryota is characterized by a cell nucleus, but also largely consists of microorganisms. However, this kingdom also includes the exception: multicellular life forms; the visible "Life on Earth" – including ourselves. https://www.genteknik.se/ordlista/eukaryot/
✓MICROORGANISMS (microbes)
Microorganisms are very small, single-celled life forms that cannot be seen with the naked eye. "Microorganisms" or "microbes" is a collective term for bacteria, yeasts, microalgae, plankton, and molds, among others. These invisible life forms exist in all environments on Earth and play an important role in all ecosystems. They are the original force that drives the cycles of nature, and a large number of species (mainly bacteria) are essential for our own bodies.