Sensory Perception Technology: The smart way to finish!

Imagine clever textiles that are able to deliver sense-enriching aromatherapy properties, or useful skin and medicinal benefits in a constant delivery stream as the textile is used. Sensory Perception Technology (SPT) does just that, says Steena Joy

With the revolutionary Sensory Perception Technology (SPT) finish, the possibilities are mind blowing - for fibres and fabrics, clothing or interiors. This advanced micro encapsulation system is set to revolutionise textile processing. SPT micro-capsules are distributed and sold globally by Woolmark Development International Ltd (WDI) who help in the technology transfer to mills and wet finishing houses.

Take a look at some of Woolmark customers’ latest innovations using this technology:

• Hosiery and lingerie with built in Aloe Vera for skin moisturising, and seaweed essences to counter cellulite as you wear them.
• Underwear, socks and bedding with natural Tea Tree ol, to provide powerful natural protection against bacteria, fungus, and bed mites.
• Outdoor clothing, garden furniture textiles, childrenswear, and wrist bands that can repel insects and mosquitoes.
• Roller blinds and curtains that effuse fragrances as you use them.
• Clothing and interior textiles with built in tobacco smoke masking properties.
• Carpets that smell freshly cleaned when walked upon.
• Knitwear with built in softeners and anti-static properties.
• Office chairs and car seats that help to keep you awake and more focused.
• Babywear with built in skin treatments such as Aloe Vera and Vitamin E.
• Nightwear and bedding with Lavender and Chamomile to help promote sleep.

SPT has applications in three main areas.

1. Aromatherapy/fragrance applications of Sensory Perception Technology (SPT)

Micro-encapsulation can deliver a constant long term stream of fresh fragrance as the capsules welded to the fibers are broken during wear.

Normal fragrance volatiles are dissipated in a few minutes, (which is why perfume bottles are always airtight), and why fragrances can’t normally be persuaded to stay for any length of time, and loose their initial freshness after a few minutes.

SPT can provide many thousands of different types of fragrance or even create bespoke versions against customer’s briefs. Fragrances designed to be deployed via SPT Micro-encapsulation are able to be developed with far more quality top notes than is usual. This is because the micro-capsules effectively provide a reservoir of fresh perfume, which reduces the need to use high quantities of less volatile bottom notes.

SPT micro-encapsulation reduces the fragrance fade problem that the perfume industry has tried to overcome for thousands of years. The ability to provide this constant fresh delivery makes SPT micro-encapsulation ideal for aromatherapy products such as sleep promoters. eg: The Lavender and Chamomile smells the same, each time the product is used, and does not change after a few minutes

2. Skin benefits of Sensory Perception Technology

SPT micro-encapsulation is an ideal medium for garments worn next to the skin for the delivery of cosmetic type benefits.

ALOE VERA: (Moisturiser)

Known as ‘Lily of the desert’ Aloe Vera has been used as a skin care product for more than 2000 years. In modern times scientific research has shown that the Aloe leaf contains over 75 nutrients and 200 active compounds, including 20 minerals, 18 amino acids and 12 vitamins.

These give the Aloe Vera gel special properties as a skin care product, for which has been used in the USA since the 1970s, and is found today in virtually all cosmetic products.

SPT seeks to use the finest Aloe Vera gels from the USA, from recognised high quality sources approved by The International Aloe Science Council in Texas. A unique process is used to micro-encapsulate the Aloe Vera, which has been used by a wide variety of SPT customers on hosiery, underwear, (including maternity wear) and other textiles in contact with the skin, such as bedding etc:

KELP: (Anti-cellulite)

Kelp Bladderwrack seaweed is an excellent source of minerals from the sea. It was identified in 1812 as the original source of iodine and volatile oils. Cellulite is thought to be caused by poor micro-circulation which makes the blood-lymphatic vessel walls more permeable which traps toxins and encourages fat to become more lumpy, which is the orange peel effect that occurs mainly on thighs and occasionally upper arms. John Morgan a well known dermatologist in Columbia USA estimates that 85% of women have some cellulite.

It is thought that the iodine in Kelp is easily absorbed into the epidermis and speeds up the micro-circulation stimulating glands and the connective tissue, thus fighting the root causes of cellulite.

Kelp has long been used in creams and jellies and embrocations to help ease joint swelling, bruises and rheumatic pains and to reduce enlarged or hardened glands.

When applied to textiles worn close to the skin for long periods of time such as hosiery and underwear either on it’s own or in conjunction with moisturisers such as Aloe Vera, Kelp SPT micro-capsules can turn the textile into the equivalent of a mini-body wrap.

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is widely used in many skin creams for medical and cosmetic applications. It is believed to contain powerful antioxidants that can protect skin cells against the effects of free-radicals.

Medically it is used to promote skin healing, from scar tissues sunburn and plastic surgery. Cosmetically it is included in many moisturiser products to promote a healthy blemish free skin epidermis.

It has been applied to underwear/hosiery often as an additional ingredient to Aloe Vera or Kelp to help fight the effects of stretch marks (ie: for maternity wear).

It has also been applied to walking socks as a blister healing product.

3. Medicinal applications of Sensory Perception Technology

The ability to store a reservoir of fresh product on the fibres of textiles opens up interesting medicinal possibilities.

Tea tree oil: (Natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal)

World famous natural Australian product, used for thousands of years by the Aborigines to help alleviate cuts, bites burns and other skin ailments, and identified in 1770 by the botanist Joseph Banks who accompanied Captain Cook on his voyage to discover Australia. A member of the Eucalyptus family it contains over 100 different compounds.

It has been subject to extensive research since 1925 when an Australian government Chemist A Penfold realised that Tea Tree oil was in fact 12 times stronger as an antiseptic than carbolic soap and 60 times more effective in killing typhoid bacillus. Tea Tree oil was used extensively during the second world war as standard issue in army and navy first aid kits in tropical regions. As the fervent post war use of antibiotic drugs is now proving no longer a cure for everything, since renewed research since the 1960’s has shown that Tea Tree oil is antiseptic stronger against bacteria than usual household disinfectants and effective against:

Escherichia coli
Propioibacterium acnes
Proteus vulgaris
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staphylococcus aureus
Proteus mirabilis
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Salmonella typhimurium
Streptococcus pyogenes
Helicobacter pylori
Anti-fungal

Particularly effective against athletes foot and:

Aspergillus flavus
Apergillus niger
Candida albicans
Malassezia furfur
Dermalogical Infections and Infestations

Tea Tree oil has been shown to be good at relieving dandruff, and if used on laundry and bedding is a good protection against bed mites, which if eliminated can be helpful to asthma sufferers.

Testing

Textiles treated with Tea Tree oil micro-capsules have been subjected to international standard laboratory anti-bacterial testing and shown to have significant properties of protection.

Insect repellent

Th 100% natural product has been tested by the Carrol Loye Biological Research Institute in California and has been shown to have significant mosquito repellence properties. The natural organic ester plant oils of SPT micro-capsules have evolved over the millennia to keep insects away from the flowers and plants and have been used by humans for thousands of years. The oils act effectively as a nerve agent on insects, recent research has shown that it has a very subtle effect on mosquitoes in particular called ‘Jamming’ where apparently the ‘black box’ which helps the mosquito search for victims is turned off.

Periodic releases of these oils (which micro-encapsulation is ideally suited to deliver) has been shown to significantly reduce bites per minute in test boxes from 50 to virtually none. The natural product is ideal for prolonged contact with human skin, and has been shown to have no dermalogical concerns for humans. They have even been used in European reservoir water treatment systems to kill insect infestations.

Some of the ingredients are habitually used to protect bulk food and grain storage, and their tendency to break down in sunlight has proved a blessing for sensitive applications such as post harvest treatment of fruit and vegetable.