Norwex has developed the patent pending silver agent which is part of the fiber. Other microfiber that claims to have silver is not embedded but is a covering which can leach and wear off. Norwex silver does not wear off. Our regular cloths contain 70% polyester and 30% polyamide and 2.9 million meters of fiber which is top quality. We also have a 2 year warranty on our microfiber, but they last a lot longer than that if cared for properly. This includes the silver content as well.
It is not silver nitrate – it is a form of silver which is physically and chemically embedded within the microfiber itself so that it does not leach out of the fiber – it is basically in there for the life of the cloth – which is why it is so safe to use and safe for the environment – because we are not leaving little bits of silver everywhere! We are the only company that has been able to do what we do.
The silver is a micro-silver-based agent. When our microfiber is produced, it starts as a molten liquid and it is at this time that the silver-based agent is added. It is then extruded (forced through) something like a shower head. It starts out as a liquid on one end, and comes out microfiber on the other end. The silver-based agent is added when it is in a liquid form and is therefore physically embedded within the fiber – it does not wash out.
The Antibacterial agent is embedded inside tiny microfibers the size of 0.3 Denier or smaller.
- Denier is a unit of measure for the linear mass of fibers. A single strand of silk is one denier. A fiber is generally considered a microfiber if it is 1 denier or less.
When microbes come into contact with this agent they tend do die rather rapidly, and we have a measured 99.9% reduction after 24 hours (but the agent is working well before then to destroy bacteria).
One limiting factor of Silver is it only kills micro-organisms when they are in contact with it for a sufficient period of time. So cloths that have residual chemicals/fabric softeners/soapy residues on the fibers do not allow silver to contact germs within the cloths. It COATS the fiber, keeping the silver and germ separated. THUS WASHING and USE instructions are important.
There are many microfiber products currently on the market making it complicated for the consumer to determine what the difference is between one product and the next.
While at first they may appear similar, compare the quality.
- Find out if the products are machine washable and for how many washes they are guaranteed to last. Other products recommend hand washing only, indicating they may not last long.
- Look at the edges of the cloths; if the edges are not finished well they will fray when washed, reducing the lifespan of the cloth.
- Prices for microfiber cloths are usually directly related to the quality of the product. If the price is lower, it is a good indication of lesser quality.
- Any cloth cleans because of its fibers. How well a cloth cleans is determined by two factors: The density and the absorbency.
Traditional cloths are not designed to pick up dirt particles as efficiently, due to the rounded surface of threads.
Microfiber cloths have millions of wedge-shaped cross sections that remove and trap the dirt.
The properties of Norwex microfiber cloths are nothing less than exceptional. Our micro fiber is 200 times thinner than a human hair, yet incredibly durable. The weaving of the microfiber makes up many small pockets for dirt and bacteria to collect rather than passing under the cloth. The weaving gives the cloth two hundred times the cleaning surface of regular cloths. This process also makes the cloth eight times more absorbent than regular cloths. The pockets created by the fibers work using capillary action.
Why Norwex Microfiber Cloths Different?
1. Antibacterial - Now you might say that is not a concern, BUT this allows the cloths to remain cleaner. You don't have to launder ours after every use thus being more respectful to the environment!
2. Two year warranty. Many of the inexpensive store bought microfibers lose a lot of their wicking ability after 5 -10 washes, leaving you with a cloth that no longer works as well or works as well as paper towel. In this respect these cheap microfibers MUST be used with some type of cleaner to actually clean.
3. Quality - we have 1/200 fiber counts and high quality.
