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.
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.
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.
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.
Thank you Cassy! We had a client who was wanting more info on this very subject and this was oh so helpful. I read your testimony to Norwex and love seeing how this changes lives! My husband and I are also consultants and love your blog!! Keep up the good work!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. It was very helpful. I just became a consultant and yesterday my sister in law sent me a link to e-cloths. They seem very similar to norwex but their cloths don't utilize silver. I was wondering if you had any more insights into their effectiveness. Personally, having silver in my cloth is better than none. But e-cloth makes the statement that because it's a high quality microfiber silver isn't necessary. I would love to hear your insights. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteDo you have any studies that show the silver does not leach?
ReplyDeleteNano silver is applied and will leach out.
ReplyDeleteMicro silver technology (Norwex patent) is embedded
and woven into the cloth itself and will notleach out.
I would like to know more about how this micro silver kills microbes. I did a lot of reading and research yesterday and came away with 2 things.
ReplyDelete1. Silver nanoparticles (the particles themselves) do NOT kill microbes, it's the silver IONS, or charged nanoparticle, that kills microbes.
2. Particles lose their charge. Loss of charge = loss of killing properties.
So, what is the micro silver? How exactly does it kill microbes?
When silver comes in contact with water, silver ions are released and then have antimocrobial properties. The silver ions break through the microbial cell wall and disrupt respiration of the microbe, and then the silver ions attach to the DNA of the microbe to stop cell replication.
ReplyDeleteantimicrobial
DeleteYes, I understood that. So, if Norwex cloths use silver ions, then that means they will eventually lose their charge. If that's the case, how do you know when that is? Can you re-charge the silver?
Delete