What is anti-odor technology & how does it work?
Nowadays we see all kinds of clothes – t-shirts, base layers, undergarments, socks, etc. – being marketed as anti-odor or odor-control. What does it mean for garments to be anti-odor? What is the technology behind this function? Does it really work? Is it toxic? How long does it last?
In today’s blog post, we will be going over what body odor is, how clothing can achieve odor-control, and whether this technology really works in making the stinky smell of sweat go away.
在今天的博客文章中，我们将讨论什么是体臭，衣服如何实现气味控制，以及这项技术是否真的能让汗味消失。
What is Body Odor?
Sweating is the body’s natural way of regulating temperature. While sweat on its own is odorless, body odor occurs when sweat reacts with the bacteria living on the surface of our skin, producing an unpleasant smell as a result.
In humans, the formation of body odors is caused by factors such as diet, sex, health, and medication, but the major contribution comes from bacterial activity on skin gland secretions. Humans have three types of sweat glands: eccrine sweat glands, apocrine sweat glands and sebaceous glands. Eccrine sweat glands are present from birth, while the latter two become activated during puberty. Among the different types of human skin glands, body odor is primarily the result of the apocrine sweat glands, which secrete the majority of chemical compounds that the skin flora metabolize into odorant substances. This happens mostly in the axillary (armpit) region, although the gland can also be found in the areola, anogenital region, and around the navel. In humans, the armpit regions seem more important than the genital region for body odor, which may be related to human bipedalism. The genital and armpit regions also contain springy hairs which help diffuse body odors.
人腋臭的主要成分是含有E-3-甲基己烯酸(E-3M2H)和3-羟基-3-甲基己烯酸(HMHA)的不饱和或羟基化支链脂肪酸、磺胺烷醇，特别是3-甲基-3-磺胺己烯-1-醇(3M3SH)，以及芳香甾体雄甾酮(5α-雄甾-16-烯-3-酮)和雄甾醇(5α-雄甾-16-烯-3-醇)。E-3M2H由两个顶泌汗液分泌气味结合蛋白ASOB1和ASOB2结合并携带到皮肤表面。
Body odor is influenced by the actions of the skin flora, including members of Corynebacterium, which manufacture enzymes called lipases that break down the lipids in sweat to create smaller molecules like butyric acid. Greater bacteria populations of Corynebacterium jeikeium are found more in the armpits of men, whereas greater population numbers of Staphylococcus haemolyticus are found in the armpits of women. This causes male armpits to give off a rancid/cheese-like smell, whereas female armpits give off a more fruity/onion-like smell. Staphylococcus hominis is also known for producing thioalcohol compounds that contribute to odors. These smaller molecules smell, and give body odor its characteristic aroma. Propionic acid (propanoic acid) is present in many sweat samples. This acid is a breakdown product of some amino acids by propionibacteria, which thrive in the ducts of adolescent and adult sebaceous glands. Because propionic acid is chemically similar to acetic acid, with similar characteristics including odor, body odors may be identified as having a pungent, cheesy and vinegar-like smell although certain people might find it pleasant at lower concentrations. Isovaleric acid (3-methyl butanoic acid) is the other source of body odor as a result of actions of the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis, which is also present in several types of strong cheese.
食物、饮料、肠道微生物群和疾病等因素都会影响体臭，生活方式和基因也会影响体臭。
What is anti-odor technology?
Anti-odor technology inhibits the growth of odor-producing bacteria on the skin by neutralizing the bacteria before it can interact with sweat. When bacteria can’t grow and mix and with the moisture from sweat, less odors are produced.
This type of clothing technology can be achieved with antimicrobial fabrics, which are fabrics that have antimicrobial agents coated onto the surface or incorporated into the fibers that allow the product to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. The most common types are antimicrobial chemicals such as triclosan and triclocarban that kill bacteria by weakening their cell membrane, and silver coatings or silver-infused yarn that destroy bacteria once silver ions are released during oxidation.
这种类型的服装技术可以通过抗菌织物来实现，抗菌织物是一种表面涂有抗菌剂或将抗菌剂纳入纤维的织物，使产品能够杀死或抑制细菌的生长。最常见的类型是抗菌化学品，如三氯沙和三氯卡班，它们通过削弱细菌的细胞膜来杀死细菌，以及银涂层或注入银的纱线，它们在氧化过程中一旦释放银离子就会杀死细菌。
Many activewear and sportswear brands now offer anti-odor collections. Now, you might be wondering how effective this technology really is and whether it is long-lasting. These antimicrobial and anti-odor technologies are effective, however, studies have also shown that they don’t last long and can cause harm to the human body as well as the natural environment. Most anti-odor technology solutions are based on silver, and although silver is effective in destroying the bacteria on our skin, these chemicals are toxic for humans, and for the planet when washed and leaked into the environment. In addition to health concerns, tests show that these chemically-treated fabrics lose efficacy after as little as five washes.
This is how our signature cinnamon t-shirt came to be: cinnamon is a spice that has been around for centuries, commonly used in cooking and baking, as well as in traditional Chinese herbal medicine (dating roughly 4000 years) for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties. With all its natural benefits, cinnamon has continuously been studied in the medical field, more recently incorporated in cosmetics, and further researched for its possible uses and effects.
Koup and the power of cinnamon thus came together to create the ultimate antimicrobial performance wear that helps reduce plastic waste (one t-shirt is made with an average of 8 recycled bottles!) and doesn’t harm the planet or our bodies with toxic chemicals. Cinnamon extracts are incorporated into our fabrics to help eliminate the smell after sweating by reducing the growth of odor-producing bacteria on the skin. Rather than using chemicals and coatings that will eventually be washed off, the anti-microbial function of our t-shirts will last as long as the lifetime of the garment as it is embedded into our yarns and fabrics.
Benefits of washing our clothes less
Without manufacturing chemically treated fabrics, we help reduce the amount of toxic chemicals that leak into the environment and are released into the air. Another benefit of anti-odor clothing is that we can wash our clothes less.
By washing our clothes less:
少洗衣服:
We can save time, money, and water by doing less laundry (especially if there’s no in-home washing machine)
我们可以通过少洗衣服来节省时间、金钱和水(特别是如果家里没有洗衣机的话)。 Clothing can last longer as washing damages clothes faster (ie. dye fading, stretching, pulling at seams)
衣服可以穿得更久，因为洗涤会更快地损坏衣服。褪色，拉伸，拉扯接缝) Traveling becomes more convenient
旅行变得更方便
It’s better for the planet – washing especially with hot water requires a lot of energy; washing and drying also emit lots of greenhouse gases
这对地球更好——尤其是用热水洗涤需要大量的能源;洗涤和烘干也会排放大量的温室气体 Less chemicals are washed into the environment means less harm to wildlife
流入环境的化学物质越少，对野生动物的危害就越小
There are many benefits to anti-odor and antimicrobial technology being utilized on the clothes we wear, from not smelling sweaty to helping the environment. As this technology becomes more and more widespread amongst clothing brands, it is our duty to stay informed and make conscious choices that not only benefit us but our planet as well.
Other's odor control technology
As consumers continue to purchase and activewear and athleisure apparel, antimicrobial and anti-odor technologies have risen in popularity. Research shows that consumers are actively seeking odor-resistant properties in their active apparel—69% are likely to search for odor-resistant technology when purchasing activewear, and more than 9 in 10 consumers are saying they wear their activewear for purposes other than exercise.1
Consumers love cotton because it offers softness and comfort, but it also offers the benefit of versatile antimicrobial options to keep the consumer feeling fresh. The below technologies can all be blended with or applied to cotton fabrics.
PurThread®
PurThread® is an antimicrobial solution that embeds recycled silver salts into polyester fibers in order to kill odor-causing bacteria. PurThread® can easily be blended with cotton to create cotton-rich blends with permanent anti-odor benefits. The silver salt is in the core of the PurThread® fiber, which gives the antimicrobial protection a longer life and does not weaken, wear off, or wash away after multiple launderings. PurThread® is treated as a regular polyester yarn during the finishing process. All of the silver used during the PurThread® process is EPA-registered and does not contain nanoparticles or nanosilver.
Ionic+™
In the extruded form of Ionic+™, positively charged silver ions are permanently embedded into the fiber or filament. The technology inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi on fabrics and keeps apparel odor-free. Ionic+™ is available in staple or filament yarn, is dyeable, and can be blended with cotton to create cotton-rich performance fabrics. Ionic+™ is registered with the EPA and does not use nanotechnology or nanosilver.
