Essensuelle Launches Lingerie Line with Silver Yarns
I heard a snippet on the radio this weekend about a sleepwear company in Britain that is launching a new line made with silver ions. The new collection is called Silver-Touch from Essensuelle. I tracked down the official website and according to the company’s homepage the collection is newly released and presently includes a nightdress and robe. Made from poly/cotton jersey containing a minimum of three percent silver yarns it is said that the fabric is anti-bacterial and is able to keep down static and regulate body temperature.
Although I found the Essensuelle garments to be pretty, delicate and feminine, I do find their statements on the home page and nightdress description page rather flippant. They claim that the new silver coated fabric actually resists MRSA and C-Difficile. I doubt this sort of grandiose claim would be permitted in the US or Canada since hospitals lose patients everyday to both these serious bacteria and are not able to combat the epidemic. If it were as simple as dressing everyone in silver ion fabric, I think steps would have already been taken to do so.
While I was impressed with the company’s total collection and the generous size selection, I am reserving judgement until I see scientific proof of their claims.
Posted in Essensuelle
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:32 am
What a potential disaster! This is a company jumping on a silver bandwagon without any care for the science. Whilst silver is a powerful antimicrobial, it is the second most toxic metal to aquatic plants and fish (behind mercury) and acts by leaving the fabric and coating the skin. It is possible to absorb silver directly into the body from the outside and this can also build up in human skin. Wearing silver on intimate areas is likely to increase the chance of absorption and the washing process will release these ions from the fabric into the environment. The USA are currently considering classifying silver as a pesticide and have already prosecuted a company for using it outside registered areas. In Sweden, the State run Pharmacy has banned the sale of silver impregnated sticking plasters because of their toxic effects on the environment. If you need an antibacterial agent in your knickers then opt for a non-migrating product like the AEGIS microbe shield in something like Dermasilk clothing. dermasilk.co.uk