Coronavirus killing fabric

A Bangladeshi fabric manufacturer has claimed to have developed a fabric named “Corona Block Fabric” that can kill coronavirus or any other virus within 120 seconds with a 99.9 per cent certainty.

Zaber and Zubair (Z&Z) Fabrics, a sister concern of the country’s largest garment exporter Noman Group, made the disclosure at a press conference in its office in the city on Thursday.

The company developed a technology for the groundbreaking product with the technical support from its two Swedish partners, its officials said.

It can be used to make personal protective equipment, masks and woven shirts.

“We are pretty sure that many global fabric developers are working on developing such fabric. We are the first to make it possible,” said Anol Rayhan, the brand manager of Z&Z.

They have already sent samples to all of its global partners (brands and buyers) and the innovation is getting massive response from their partners as the world may have to exist with the pandemic for long.

Corona Block Fabric-corona virus killing fabric

Zaber and Zubair fabrics Limited, the largest textile manufacturer in the country, is hoping that the country’s readymade apparel makers could gain huge businesses both in local and global markets with their newly-invented coronavirus killing fabric.

“We hope at least 2000 of readymade garment factories in the country – which are facing big trouble due to the coronavirus fallout – will be able to revive their businesses with the new fabric as the solution will help the world fight coronavirus or any other virus or bacteria,” said Anol Rayhan.

He said the treatment of the fabric had been tested and validated under test norm ISO 18184 and had regulatory coverage.

The fabric has been registered with different compliance bodies of the United States (US) and the European Union (EU), Rayhan said.

“We have started sending the fabrics to our buyers in the US and the EU from the first week of this month and received good response from more than 100 buyers as of today,” he said.

Raashid Asraf Khan, chief marketing officer of Z&Z, said the fabric is protected from all kinds of viruses and bacteria, and is wash durable, soft and breathable in 100 percent cotton and blends, and absolutely safe to skin.

Raashid said RMG makers could continue to manufacture as before with clothes that can protect customers from microbes and prevent from being affected by virus like Covid-19.

“This will definitely give our buyers much better leverage in selling the products at stores. At these times of crisis, and even for the future, the demand for such products is very high and customers may even be willing to buy at premium,” he added.

Benefits of Corona virus killing fabric

The fabric can be used to make woven shirts, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), Rayhan said, adding that, as of yesterday, 75 international retailers have inquired about the groundbreaking product.

“For the PPE fabrics, it is solvent and fluid repellent in 100 percent polyester composition, it has high tensile and tear strength and is wash durable up to 20 washes,” Raashid Asraf Khan said.

Zaber and Zubair supplies its fabrics and garments to more than 300 international and local buyers.

“But by next week the number of our buyers will cross 600 as we are getting a huge response every day,” he told The Daily Star over the phone yesterday.

The company will start bulk production at the end of this month at its factory in Tongi and has a plan to make seven million pieces of woven garment items in a month from the specialised fabric.

The company can churn out 10 million yards of fabrics a month.

Rayhan said they have received an order of 15 lakh face masks made with the fabric from a UAE buyer named United Global Holdings. Five lakh of masks would be delivered before Eid-ul-Fitr and the rest after Eid.

He said Z&Z has already started bulk production and seven million pieces of garment items would be produced by the next month for the domestic market.

Consumers will be able to buy the products from Blue Jens, an online shop of the Z&Z, and the prices would be 20 percent higher than the normal products, he added.