Why Bacterial Control?

This seems like a good question to start with doesn’t it? It’s not that we are “germaphobes” (not that there is anything wrong with that!) However, it is true that bacteria does accumulate on things we use to shower and bathe with. There is a reason reputable manufacturers will tell you to dispose of your loofahs every few weeks. We all know mold and mildew thrives in wet, humid environments and your bath & shower is prime real estate. Let’s face it, nobody wants to rub those icky little germs back onto their body, especially if you have sensitive skin, eczema, or acne. So the question for us was, what do we do about it?

So Many Choices!

The main challenge we faced when deciding how best to implement bacteria control into The Lux Puff  was the sheer number of options from which to choose. To narrow down our choices, we thought about what exactly we wanted to accomplish.

• It had to be safe for people
• It had to be environmentally friendly
• It had to be effective

Considering the above points, our first choice was bamboo. We absolutely LOVE bamboo… bamboo towels, bamboo sheets, clothing, etc because bamboo is sustainable and it is really soft! Bamboo clearly passed the test for options #1 and #2 but when we got to #3 , this is where it fell short. Bamboo does have anti-microbial properties. However, the process that takes bamboo from a plant to a fabric (known as viscose) kills off virtually any bacteria fighting properties it has. In fact there are no natural fabrics that can do this effectively.

So that left us with anti-bacterial treatment options. Again, keeping in mind our three “must haves”, we certainly didn’t want any chemical agents (bacteriostats). After going through all the “natural” options we decided to team up with Polygiene and here’s why.

1) Safe for your skin

Polygiene has been extensively tested for skin irritation and safety. What’s more important is the testing was done on actual people, not animals. These tests were conducted using the Polygiene solution at levels that were 200 times greater than the levels that are applied to production textiles. The results showed negligible contact sensitivity and there was no additional skin irritation caused by the Polygiene treatment to the fabric.

2) Environmental Impact

Polygiene is based on silver salt made from 100% recycled silver. What’s great about this is there is no NEW mining of natural resources. The purity of the recycling process is strictly controlled in accordance with European Commission regulations, including those on environmental and waste management, and the ISO 14001 standard. Additionally, only very small amounts of silver salt are required for treating textiles with Polygiene. For example, 5,000 garments require the same amount of silver as a couple of silver rings.

3) Proven Effectiveness

All the above aspects of silver salts are nice but the real kicker is, does it work! The basic idea behind silver salt as an anti-microbial agent is that it disrupts bacteria’s ability to breed and multiply. So, we had our Lux Puff tested by an independent lab to find out just how good this stuff was. The lab added two strains of staph aureus to the Lux Puff. After 24 hours in a dark environment at 95 degrees Fahrenheit, 99.96% of the staph was gone! We call that effective  and that is why we say

“Don’t kill bacteria… Stop if from growing in the first place!”

There is no other company developing silver salt technology that even comes close to what Polygiene has accomplished, both from an efficacy standpoint and an environmental one. It’s safe, it’s environmentally friendly, and it works! These are the reasons why companies like Patagonia chose Polygiene –  and that’s why we did too.

– The Lux Puff Team