Botany meets textile technology

Botanists have discovered an amazing self-cleaning effect in lotus plants - engineers and technicians at the ITV Denkendorf are working hard on transferring this effect to textile surfaces.

What would it be like if we no longer needed to scrub marquees, squeeze shower curtains into washing machines and wear ourselves and our brushes out cleaning dirt from car seats? Could the idea of saving time and work be more than just a dream for those fastidious individuals with exacting cleaning standards? Could it become reality? The ITV (Institute for Textile Technology and Process Engineering in Denkendorf) directed by Professor Heinrich Planck is working on the development of textiles with self-cleaning features. The project is being done in cooperation with the NEES – Institute for Biodiversity of Plants at the University of Bonn and BASF.

Drop of water rolling off a dirty tissue with the lotus effect. As the drops fall, the dirt is washed off. (Photo: ITV Denkendorf)

The self-cleaning effect was discovered in 1977 on lotus leaves but was only protected with patents and the “lotus effect” trademark as late as the1990s. The patent is held by Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Barthlott at the NEES Institute at the University of Bonn. The principle is as simple as it is ingenious. The surface of lotus leaves is extremely hydrophobic. This means that drops of water just run off the leaves. In addition, the leaf surface has a characteristic nanostructure that ensures that water drops and dirt particles only remain on the very nanotips of the plant structures. The contact area is therefore very small. Due to the adhesiveness of the water, water drops carry off dirt particles when they drip off the leaves.

Nanostructuring enhances self-cleaning effect

The physical and chemical features of the leaf surface are what create the lotus effect. Therefore, the effect can, in the sense of a bionic approach, be used to transfer the effect to technical systems. Nevertheless, the experts at the ITV soon realised that the transfer was not as easy as it appeared. Apart from the search for a suitable microtopography, nanostructuring of textiles posed a particular challenge. Chemists and BASF engineers succeeded in developing a specific, nanorough surface in the range of 20 to 100 nanometers.

Water is enough to wash away the dirt on a tissue with the lotus effect. Here, the tissue is shaped like a lotus leaf.

At the ITV, mechanical engineers, chemists, process engineers and textile experts are working on the development of textile products with the lotus effect. Modern microfibre outdoor clothing, which is actually already a high-tech product, is an almost ideal field of application. The microstructure of these textiles supports their self-cleaning effect.

Medicine is also interested in the lotus effect. The ITV scientists are currently investigating whether they are able to alter the surface of implants in such a way as to improve their coating with human cells. In addition, the development of artificial blood vessels was also inspired by the lotus effect. The effect can also be observed in other fluid substances: for example, honey and water-based glue run from the hydrophobic nanostructures of the ITV textiles without leaving any stains. This might certainly prove to be another interesting area for the further exploitation of the lotus effect.

In the textile area, application is not far away. On 6th April 2006, the ITV presented a newly developed coating technology, a textile intermediary and final products to the public. At the same forum, the ITV also presented their “self-cleaning” quality standard which the cooperation partners hope will prevent the misuse of the term “lotus effect” by technically substandard imitations. The quality standard guarantees self-cleaning features based on the lotus effect as well as a technically mature product.

Shaken water is best for cleaning – no additives required

As soon as the first textile products reach the market, only water will be needed to get the textiles as clean as the day they left the factory. This feature ensures that such textiles are a lot easier to clean and also more resistant to wear and tear. In addition, the reduced cleaning expenditures reduce the environmental burden. The economic advantages are clear – both for the public and for numerous textile manufacturers and suppliers who have benefited from this new technology. The ITV has established contacts with numerous companies that are interested in this new product.


leh - 20th April 2006
© BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Further information:
ITV - Institute for Textile Technology and Process Engineering Denkendorf
Dr. Thomas Stegmaier
Körschtalstraße 26
D-73770 Denkendorf
Phone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

ITV Denkendorf present at "High-Tex from Germany"

The ITV Denkendorf will be present at the "High-Tex from Germany" exhibition for the fourth time. Previously held in Atlanta, Shanghai and Moscow, this year’s exhibition will be held in Mumbai (India) from 10th to 12th October 2007. The fair presents current developments in the environmental technology research area.

The ITV will be present on the German stand; focusing on ecological technology, the ITV will feature current developments and innovations from the environmental technology research field. With ecological challenges in India and other Asian countries specifically in mind, the ITV is focusing on ecological aspects and will provide information on solutions for the broad range of environmental problems faced in textile production and other industries in these countries. Major focus will be put on methods and processes for the recycling of materials as well as the resolution of wastewater and exhaust gas problems.

Textile carrier with bacteria (Photo: ITV)

In cooperation with industrial partners, the ITV has in recent years developed textile materials for use in environmental protection such as textile-based filters, membranes and textile carriers for biomass attachment. The ITV is hoping that by exhibiting at the High-Tex from Germany fair these products and solutions will gain access to the Asian market and help German industry find new clients. At the same time, the ITV is on the look-out for dialogue with educational and research institutions in Asia with the aim of initiating environmental projects and solutions for regional environmental problems. The ITV is also participating in the partnering event, focussing on global networking for the benefit of the environment.

The companies Cleartec Water Management and Berghof Filtrations- and Anlagentechnik will exhibit at the same booth as the ITV. They too will address environmental aspects, thus complementing the information provided by the ITV on environmental technology.

Textile finishing industry showing concern for the environment

Cleartec will be presenting innovative wastewater purification systems that can be used in municipal and industrial sewage plants. These systems are aimed at stabilising and improving discharge values as well as contributing to increasing the performance of existing plants. Amongst other things, the company will present its biotextile Cleartec®, which has already been used extremely successfully in reference plants. In cooperation with the ITV, this innovative, high-performance textile fixed bed was further developed for biological wastewater purification in the textile finishing industry. Berghof will present further solutions for the effective purification of wastewater and will provide information on the products Berghof BioFlow, BioPuls and BioAir. The company is a leader in external membrane bioreactor filtration, in which it combines biological preparation and membrane filtration, thereby creating specific advantages relating to purification time, efficiency, maintenance, operation and cost structures of the plants. The technology was developed in cooperation with environmental engineers from the ITV.

Wastewater treatment: standard textile carrier module (Photo: ITV)

The High-Tex from Germany exhibition will be complemented by a symposium featuring presentations of the research institutions and universities exhibiting in India. The ITV will present two papers on environmental technology. Dr. Thomas Stegmaier, who is, amongst other things, the head of environmental technology at the ITV, will give a presentation on the use of textile carrier materials in the biological purification of wastewater in municipal and industrial sewage plants. The paper will show how to increase performance in the biological reaction systems of sewage plants, thereby defining a concrete optimisation potential that is key for the cost-effectiveness and performance of the entire system. Dr. Jamal Sarsour of the ITV will give a presentation on a highly-efficient and low-energy method for the recycling of process water – a topic that will certainly be of huge interest for representatives from the textile finishing industry, particularly in view of the huge amounts of wastewater generated.

Source: ITV Denkendorf - 13.09.2007

Wound healing: biofunctional textiles doing the job of maggots

In the STERN BioRegion, a broad cooperative project is focusing on the development of methods for the treatment of wounds using medical products.

In many areas, textile products are used in areas that go beyond the products’ traditional function in protecting an injured area from environmental influences. Through the integration of therapeutic substances, such textiles are being turned into innovative medical products providing considerably better wound healing options.

Dr. Dirk Höfer at the Hohenstein Institutes in Bönnigheim is developing textile wound dressings with an integrated active substance repository. The delayed release of the drugs into the area of the wound speeds up the healing process or indeed makes it possible, particularly in the case of chronic wounds. The idea behind this ingenious invention is that the active substances do not originate from a pharmacological design centre but from a living system. The researchers in Hohenstein are using the advantages of a therapy involving enzyme-containing maggot secretions without bringing the maggots themselves directly in contact with the wound. This invention removes emotional difficulties as far as the patients are concerned as well as making treatment a lot easier, both for patients and doctors.

Lucilia sericata maggots were used for the first time in wound treatment in the 1930s and, due to increasing resistance to antibiotics, are currently experiencing a comeback in modern medicine.

Maintaining function, eliminating disgust factor

In future, it will be possible to bind the wound-healing substances of maggots to textile materials and thus eliminate reservations vis-à-vis this therapy.

“We have decoupled the maggot’s active principle at the wound,” said Höfer who, with his team, has just successfully terminated a BMBF research project on this topic. In a follow-up project, the scientists intend to further develop the new wound dressings into a practical product. “With the first project, we were able to achieve three major goals. These were the production of an active maggot secretion, the embedding of this secretion into cellulose as textile carrier and finally the degradation of the carrier material by way of the activity exerted by certain cellulose-degrading maggot enzymes. We have developed a prototype which dissolves gradually and thus represents a control element for the release kinetics of the active substances added to the carrier.”

Numerous steps are involved in the process, beginning with the cultivation of maggots, collection and characterisation of the maggots’ secretions and moving on to the therapeutically effective combination of these secretions with textile wound dressings. Apart from human biologist and project coordinator Höfer, the project also integrates other Hohenstein groups such as microbiologists, medical doctors, chemists and textile chemists.

By coupling the wound-healing maggot secretion to a textile carrier which gradually dissolves in the wound thereby releasing the ingredients in a controlled manner, the Hohenstein scientists hope that this form of therapy will in future achieve an even higher acceptance.

Medical doctors from the hospital in Ludwigsburg-Bietigheim are contributing their clinical know-how to the project. They have for many years successfully used maggots in wound healing and provide their knowledge on the specific activities of the maggots. The GMBU (Gesellschaft zur Förderung von Medizin-, Bio- und Umwelttechnologien e.V.) in Jena is in charge of the spectroscopic analysis of the wound areas. “The infrared spectrum of the wound area provides us with information on the state of the wound from which we can draw conclusions on the progress of wound healing,” said Höfer explaining the GMBU’s part of the project.

The original research concept involved the freeze-drying of the collected maggot secretions in order to preserve them for later use, a project in which they have been supported by experts from the University of Kiel. In the meantime, another method has proven more effective. “We have found out that freeze-drying is not necessary. We include the secretions in filaments, which are then air-dried and stabilised. This a lot better for maintaining the activity of the secretions,” said Höfer explaining the new method.

Testing efficacy and safety

Specific knowledge is mandatory when testing the practicability of the product. The scientists at Hohenheim are developing and using tests for assessing the biological efficacy and safety of the product for human health. Human biologists and clinicians are cooperating closely with textile engineers and chemists, investigating the cytotoxicity, sensitisation and irritation potential of the textile medical products.

In the meantime, the scientists have developed a broad range of test methods, which are also used for testing other biotherapeutic wound textiles. Apart from Lucilia sericata maggots, the Hohenstein scientists are also using other animals in their research. For example they are developing moist, textile compresses for abrasions, which are coated with a freeze-dried enzyme secretion obtained from the intestinal tract of deep-sea krill. In addition, the scientists also hope to use the anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant saliva substances of leeches without needing to place the actual animal on the affected areas. This will also be done using medical textiles containing the effective substances.


leh - 20th April 2006
© BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH

For further information, contact:
Hohenstein Institutes
Dr. Dirk Höfer (Head of the Comptence Centre on Medical Textiles)
74357 Bönnigheim
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Microstructure simulations for the textile industry

The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) has developed a microstructure simulation technology enabling the calculation of the properties of highly-complex materials and the design of new textiles for application in medicine and hygiene.

The textile industry was one of the first big German industries that moved a large proportion of their production facilities to the Far East. Nowadays, more than 50 percent of all chemical textile fibres worldwide are produced in Asia, and of this figure, more than 50 percent are produced in China. Following the long-term reduction in demand, the industry is looking more positively to the future. At the international “Textile Trends” meeting held in Berlin in February 2006, the participants expressed great optimism in view of the growing demand for technical and functional textiles. Textile structures with specific properties are entering completely new areas, for example as implants in medicine, carbon fibres in aircraft construction, interior, safety or filter systems in cars, textile reinforced concrete or as functional fabrics in high-quality clothing.

Textiles for wound treatment (Figure: Bayern Innovativ)

Nowadays, technical textiles account for 40 percent of all textiles produced in Germany. The potential for further innovation and growth in the use of fleece fabrics and tissue used in high-performance filtration and clinical applications (as implants or to enhance wound healing) is particularly high.

Virtual design of new textiles

In the past, the development of new textile structures for innovative areas of application was based on real experiments involving all kinds of different fibre shapes and mixtures. Nowadays, the properties of the material can be determined in advance using computers. Specific properties can be tested in order to develop the best product possible.

Fibre dynamics and fleece structure (Figure: ITWM)

In order to understand the three-dimensional composition and influence of geometric variations on the dynamic properties of the final product, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) in Kaiserslautern (see link at the top right-hand side) has developed techniques involving the three-dimensional image analysis and modelling of textiles as well as the simulation of dynamic features such as flow resistance.
At the cooperation forum dealing with functional textiles in Augsburg on 23rd May 2006, Dr. Konrad Steiner, head of the department of flows and complex structures at the ITWM, will present the latest results obtained in the virtual material design of textiles used in medicine and hygiene.

Microstructure simulation

The technology of microstructure simulation establishes the connection between microscopic and macroscopic properties of the microscopically heterogeneous materials. The basis of the new technology is the simulation of flows in highly complex geometries such as foams and fibre materials on the microscopic and macroscopic level. Specific mathematical tools help researchers to manage the enormous computing demands and to study the flows interactively. The first step of microstructure simulation is to model an existing material and to perform calculations on this model. Only after successful validation with measurements can the actual process of virtual material design begin. The properties of the materials are validated using tomographic scans which are used to develop three-dimensional structural models. Complex flow dynamic calculations lead to the parameters of the material investigated, which will then be integrated into software for the simulation of the product.

Fraunhofer ITWM, Kaiserslautern

GeoDict as the tool for the virtual design of materials

In the meantime, scientists led by Dr. Andreas Wiegmann (coordinator of the “microstructure simulation and virtual material design” project at the ITWM), have improved the GeoDict software to include the aforementioned functionalities as well as essential improvements and performance enhancements. GeoDict is a perfect tool for the industrial virtual design of materials using efficient PCs. Additional modules are available, including the FilterDict software which is particularly suited for filter media or SatuDict for the characterisation of saturation-dependent properties such as capillarity. These modules are used in the fleece and filter industry and are slowly entering the field of medical applications.

Dr. Franz-Josef Pfreundt and Dr. Konrad Steiner from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics won the 2001 Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize. They were honoured for their newly-developed technology of microstructure simulation. The entire industry can profit from the use of these complex mathematical methods for designing new textiles and the interest of industrial partners hoping to save time and money is huge.

EJ - 3rd May 2006
© BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH

For further information, contact:
Dr. Konrad Steiner
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics
Phone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Sensory baby vest – a high-tech life-saving product

In cooperation with partners from the textile industry and the University of Tübingen, ITV Denkendorf has developed a baby vest for the comfortable and invisible monitoring of vital functions.

When entering an intensive care unit, visitors will soon realise that the monitoring of vital functions is a highly complex task. Processes from the acquisition of data, to their processing, interpretation and presentation in an easy to understand way require the integration of several different technologies. In order to achieve all that, such products integrate know-how from bio- and medical technology, process engineering, electronics and IT.

Sensory baby vest for the comfortable and invisible monitoring of vital functions.

At the ITV Denkendorf, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has been developing a special vest for babies. The sensory baby vest is equipped with sensors that enable the constant monitoring of vital functions. It is hoped to use this vest to prevent cot death and other life-threatening situations in babies.

The sensors are attached in a way that they do not pinch or disturb the baby when it is sleeping. Co-developer Hansjürgen Horter from the ITV was so convinced about the comfort of the baby vest that he used his own son to test the new system. As the photo shows, the little boy was quite happy with the new vest.

Safety and complacency are not contradictory

The appearance and handling of the sensory vest have also convinced care personnel and parents. “In fact it is a normal baby jump-suit. It can be washed and our skin compatibility tests have not shown any biological reaction to the textile of sensor materials,” said Horter. The technology is integrated into the textile structure and is therefore invisible from the outside. The unattractive vision of wired babies is thus avoided.

The sensory baby vest was initially developed for sick children and for those who are at particular health or life risk. In the long-term, it is planned to broaden the application range of the vest. Horter explained: “We regard the system as basic technology that can be used both in clinical conditions as well as in perfectly normal children’s rooms at home. It is also feasible for use with adults. Integrated into underwear, the system can, at least in principle, pick up vital parameters such as heart rate, skin temperature, breathing and amount of sweating.”

Sensory baby vest – open and closed.

Horter is coordinating the project at the ITV in cooperation with his colleague Carsten Linti. The two engineers can rely on many years of experience whose foundations were laid by the current institute director, Prof. Dr. Heinrich Planck, who established the area of biomedical engineering at the ITV in the 1970s. Planck himself also contributed significantly to the concept of the sensory baby vest.

Planck’s team exploits to the maximum the synergistic effects at the ITV. The natural scientists at the ITV contributed their knowledge to the project, as did textile engineers, process engineers, mechanical engineers, cybernetics experts and computer specialists. The scientists also keep in mind the broad application of their sensor technology, which also requires interdisciplinary knowledge and cooperation. For this reason, the ITV is also cooperating with other institutes and companies.

Josef Kanz GmbH is an important partner in the project. The children’s clothing manufacturer lent its experience and knowledge to the manufacture of the textile body of the baby vests. The company Gütermann provided conductive thread, as the signal transducers need to be insulated. This sounds quite trivial but is associated with several problems and intensive work was required to solve the problems so that weaving machines were able to process the material and the signal transducing threads.

Innovative and cheap

After three years of research, funded by the Industrieforschung foundation, the scientists succeeded in developing a prototype, which was awarded the Avantex Innovation Price in 2005. Ongoing clinical investigations will lead to the optimisation of the system and prepare it for specific use in hospitals. In these preparations, the ITV developers are cooperating closely with physicians at the University Children’s Hospital in Tübingen.

Horter estimates that the first sensory baby vests will be on the market within the next two years. The products – be they for use in hospitals or by private customers – will be marketed by the company Kanz, which is another partner in the project. The ITV itself is part of the sales and marketing team. The project partners are currently working hard on being able to sell the system as cheaply as possible. “For private use, the cost of the entire system, i.e. sensory baby vest plus monitoring and alarm device, will most likely amount to several hundred euros.


leh - 20th April 2006
© BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Further information:
ITV - Institute of Textile Technology and Process Engineering Denkendorf
Dipl.-Ing. Hansjürgen Horter
Körschtalstraße 26
73770 Denkendorf
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Biofibre Shirt Enters Mountain Sports Market

If you believe that cotton, flax and hemp are the only natural fibres that can be used to make clothes, you are wrong. A new fibre, called IngeoTM, not only promises comfortable to wear clothing but is also environmentally friendly.

Biofibre shirt captures the market for mountain sports clothing. Photo: Salewa

IngeoTM is a new synthetic fibre made from plant carbons, which has already established itself in the textile market. The fibre is made from polylactide (PLA). PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic that is also used to produce cookware or packaging.

Polylactidesare a natural product – they are made from plants and are produced by a natural process. PLA production has hardly changed since the 19th century. The initial material used in the process is lactic acid. Plant sugars are fermented and turned into lactic acid that is then converted into polymers known as polylactide. This substance can be manufactured into a range of products. However, its suitability for outerwear remains to be seen.

Fabric or fleece made from PLA can be used in many areas. However, before plant polyesters can be accepted as a new class of materials, sufficient amounts of this 100% renewable material need to be produced and tested. The Institute for Polymer Technology (IKT) at the University of Stuttgart is working in co-operation with the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. to develop a specific process for the production of polylactide fleece. Together they aim to produce a sufficient amount of fleece for use in clothes, fabric, geotextiles (e.g. for the fixation of slopes) or filtration material. PLA fibres have long been established for use as absorbent surgical suture material. The biodegradability feature of the material will most likely not be so important in other applications. According to the IGT, the technical features of the new material are of greater interest for many applications.
The natural-based synthetic fibre has a considerable market volume. Germany is not only the biggest producer of PLA in Europe but also the largest consumer of fleece materials.


Source: Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V.

Innovative textiles made possible by biotechnology

Biotechnology is like an enormous “factory” which not only provides other industries with innovative ideas, but also supplies the appropriate know-how. Cheese production, golden rice, the manufacture of insulin and interferon, biosensors, enzymes in detergents - these are all examples of biotechnology in action, a sector that is constantly growing and expanding into other industrial sectors, a true driving force of interdisciplinary applications. The current topic of the month deals with the potential of biotechnology in the textile industry.

Modern biotechnology integrates the most diverse disciplines such as nutrition sciences, environmental technology and the textile industry. The close cooperation of the textile industry with biotechnology has, in recent years, led to many innovative projects. The textile industry is one of the oldest industrial sectors worldwide. Textile manufacture and textile research also have a long tradition in the southwest of Germany. 200 years ago, the first mechanical spinning factory was established in Baden. Today, with 30,000 people working in this field, the textile industry has become an important economic factor in Baden-Württemberg.

Up until the 20th century, textile production involved the exclusive use of natural fibres: cotton, hemp, flax, etc. The invention of synthetic fibres in the 20th century broadened the application range of textile materials enormously. Great improvements have been made in technical textiles since the 1980s which now account for approximately 40 percent of the entire textile production. Therefore, their huge innovation potential makes them the driving force in the growing textile industry.

The textile industry explores new fields

Specific interdisciplinary partnerships between the most diverse scientific fields enable the industry to combine several functionalities in one material. The new fabrics may be breathable, temperature-regulating, lightweight, shock-proof, water and dirt repellent and a lot more. It is, in particular, this multifunctionality which broadens the application of these modern fabrics, which, apart from being used as clothing, can be used in car manufacture, space technology, agriculture or biomedical technology.

The research of the “Functional Morphology and Biomimetics” project group at the University of Tübingen is an excellent example of the specific integration of different fields of science and experiences. Geoscientists at the University of Tübingen and textile researchers at the ITV Denkendorf have joined forces to develop textiles that automatically adapt wicking ability to the climate surrounding the wearer (see “The development of high-tech textiles is inspired by plants”).

Textiles in medicine

Innovative materials are also found in the field of medicine and many applications are possible, ranging from tissue engineering to wound dressings and implants. In the field of biomedical technology, biologists and engineers cooperate closely and develop biomaterials and implants as well as methods enabling the regeneration of tissue, for example resorbable, three-dimensional, shapeable fleeces in which the patients’ own cartilage cells can be grown (see "Competence network biomaterials").

New opportunities for modern textiles have also opened up in the treatment of wounds. In view of the growing number of elderly people and diabetics in modern society, the treatment of problematic wounds is a major application area of such textiles. In Germany alone, there are approximately 2 million patients every year suffering from severe and chronic wounds. Innovative medical textiles will no doubt play an important role in the treatment of wounds and skin in future. The integration of therapeutic substances turns textiles into innovative medical products (see: “Wound healing: biofunctional textiles doing the job of maggots”).

Intelligent technical textiles

What is known as 'intelligent technical textiles' is another interdisciplinary example of innovative textiles used in the field of health and safety. These are textiles with integrated microsystems used in clinical applications for measuring and monitoring of vital parameters such as blood pressure, pulse or breathing (see “Sensory baby vest – a high-tech life-saving product”).

Virtual design of new textiles

In the past, the development of new textile structures for innovative areas of application was based on real experiments involving all kinds of different fibre shapes and mixtures. Nowadays, the properties of the material can be determined in advance using computers. Specific properties can be tested in order to develop the best product possible. The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) has developed a microstructure simulation technology enabling the calculation of the properties of highly-complex materials and the design of new textiles for application in medicine and hygiene (see "Microstructure simulations for the textile industry").

Better textiles inspired by nature

Textiles with lotus effect developed at the ITV Denkendorf (Photo: BIOPRO)

Through the course of evolution, nature has come up with surfaces to which dirt is unable to attach thanks to complex micro- and nanostructures. The self-cleaning effect of such extraordinary hydrophobic micro- and nanostructured plant surfaces was discovered and clarified by W. Barthlott at the University of Heidelberg in 1975. Now, engineers and technicians at the ITV Denkendorf are transferring what is known as 'the lotus effect' of plants to textile surfaces. The interest in the lotus effect is huge – not only for outdoor clothing and marquees, but also in medicine (see “Botany meets textile technology”).

Another innovative material is polylactide (PLA), which can be found in biodegradable catering dishes or packaging and which has become a popular material among clothing manufacturers. Polylactides are a natural product, made from plant carbons. In contrast to nylon and polyester fibres made from non-renewable petrol, PLA uses carbon that is absorbed by maize plants during photosynthesis from the air (see “Biofibre shirt enters mountain sports market”).

cz - 28th April 2006