Antimicrobial silver fiber products and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to antimicrobial garments and antimicrobial fabric products that include an antimicrobial fabric, wherein the antimicrobial fabric includes at least one synthetic silver fiber and at least one silver-free fiber, and methods of manufacturing the same. One benefit of the antimicrobial garments and antimicrobial fabric products disclosed herein can be the reduction or elimination of odor or infection causing microbes, including a bacteria, a fungi, and a virus, even after multiple washes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An antimicrobial garment comprising:
 an antimicrobial fabric, wherein the antimicrobial fabric includes at least one synthetic silver fiber and at least one silver-free fiber,   wherein the synthetic silver fiber includes a synthetic fiber having elemental silver particles bound to the synthetic fiber, and   wherein the at least one silver-free fiber includes a basic fiber having less than 0.1 weight percent of silver particles bound to the basic fiber based on a total weight of the silver-free fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , wherein from about 80% to 100% of the elemental silver particles have a particle size of from about 1 micrometer to about 30 micrometers. 
     
     
         3 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic silver fiber includes from about 0.01 to about 3.0 weight percent of elemental silver particles based on a total weight of the synthetic silver fiber, or
 wherein the antimicrobial fabric has from about 10 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg of the elemental silver particles per the antimicrobial fabric.   
     
     
         4 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic silver fiber has a thickness characterized by from about 30 g per 9000 meters of fiber to about 900 g per 9000 meters of fiber or from about 10 km/kg to about 60 km/kg,
 wherein the antimicrobial garment contains from about 10% to 100% weight of the antimicrobial fabric based on a total weight of the antimicrobial garment,   wherein the antimicrobial garment has a fabric weight of from about 50 g/m 2  to about 350 g/m 2 , and   wherein the antimicrobial garment contains from about 10 to about 20 weight percent of the synthetic silver fiber based on a total weight of the antimicrobial garment.   
     
     
         5 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic fiber includes at least one of a polyester, a nylon, an aramid, a polypropylene, a polyethylene, a polyether-polyurea copolymer, an acrylic polymer, or a combination, co-polymer, or blend thereof; and
 wherein the at least one basic fiber includes   a natural fiber, wherein the natural fiber includes a cotton, a wool, a silk, a hemp, a rayon, a bamboo, a banana, a modal, a lyocell, or combination, a blend or weave thereof, or   an unnatural fiber, wherein the unnatural fiber includes a polyester, a nylon, an aramid, a polypropylene, a polyethylene, a polyether-polyurea copolymer, an acrylic polymer, or a combination, co-polymer, or blend thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial garment is selected from a group consisting of a shirt, a yoga pant, a tight, a legging, a short, an arm warmer, an ankle brace, a hat, a gi, a leg warmer, a hosiery, a leotard, a unitard, a tutu, a jersey, a sock, a fatigue, a uniform, a costume, a jockstrap, a sweat pant, a sweat shirt, a bra, a swimsuit, a belt, a coat, a headband, a dress, a skirt, a short, an undergarment, a jacket, a trouser, a suit, a robe, a saris, a scrub, a neckwear, and a top. 
     
     
         7 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , the antimicrobial garment further comprising an optical brightener and at least one of a dye or a pigment. 
     
     
         8 . The antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial garment reduces growth of gram positive bacteria by from about 95% to 100% relative to a garment without the antimicrobial fabric. 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing an antimicrobial garment comprising:
 weaving or knitting the at least one synthetic silver fiber and at least one silver-free fiber together to form an antimicrobial fabric, and   cutting or sewing the antimicrobial fabric to form the antimicrobial garment of  claim 1 ,   wherein the synthetic silver fiber includes a synthetic fiber having elemental silver particles bound to the synthetic fiber, and   wherein the at least one silver-free fiber includes a basic fiber having less than 0.1% weight of silver particles bound to the basic fiber based on a total weight of the silver-free fiber.   
     
     
         10 . An antimicrobial fabric product comprising:
 an antimicrobial fabric, wherein the antimicrobial fabric includes at least one synthetic silver fiber and at least one silver-free fiber,   wherein the synthetic silver fiber includes a synthetic fiber having elemental silver particles bound to the synthetic fiber, and   wherein the at least one silver-free fiber includes a basic fiber having less than 0.1% weight of silver particles bound to the basic fiber based on a total weight of the silver-free fiber.   
     
     
         11 . The antimicrobial fabric product of  claim 10 , wherein from about 80% to 100% of the elemental silver particles have a particle size of from about 1 micrometer to about 30 micrometers. 
     
     
         12 . The antimicrobial fabric product of  claim 10 , wherein the synthetic silver fiber includes from about 0.01 to about 3.0 weight percent of elemental silver particles based on a total weight of the synthetic silver fiber, or
 wherein a fabric in the antimicrobial fabric product has from about 10 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg of elemental silver particles per a total weight of the fabric in the antimicrobial fabric product.   
     
     
         13 . The antimicrobial fabric product of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the synthetic silver fiber has a thickness characterized by from about 30 g per 9000 meters of fiber to about 900 g per 9000 meters of fiber or from about 10 km/kg to about 60 km/kg,   wherein a fabric in the antimicrobial fabric product contains from about 90% to 100% weight of the antimicrobial fabric based on a total weight of the fabric in the antimicrobial fabric product, and   wherein the fabric in the antimicrobial fabric product has a fabric weight of from about 50 g/m 2  to about 350 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         14 . The antimicrobial fabric product of  claim 10 , wherein the fabric in the antimicrobial fabric product further comprises an optical brightener and at least one of a dye or a pigment. 
     
     
         15 . The antimicrobial fabric product of  claim 10 , wherein the antimicrobial fabric product is a garment, a diaper, a piece of cloth furniture, a bag, a bed lining, a towel, a pillow case, a bandage, an article of feminine hygiene, a cleaning cloth, a foot wear, an insole, or an accessory.