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BLIK OP TEKSTIELE

Polyester fabric: a diagram showing how virion- Cotton fabric: a diagram showing how virion-
aerosol droplets remain on the hydrophobic fibres aerosol droplets are absorbed and then desiccate
and still survive. and dry.

environmental pollution, due to the durability to dehydration. Cotton’s hydrophilicity is
of the synthetic fibres. Polyester is one of the detrimental to virions.
most prolific synthetic fabrics in the world The survival of pathogens and virions
today and clothing without any synthetic fibres is higher on synthetic fibres compared to
is hard to find. The consumer wants to know cotton. As a result, a cotton-based face mask
which is best for do-it-yourself (DIY) masks: will outperform masks made out of synthetic
cotton or polyester? fibres like polyester, particularly in the case of
According to the International Cotton enveloped viruses like SARS-CoV-2. The median
Advisory Council (ICAC), cotton is the fabric viral loads after coughs without a mask, with
of choice. It is absorbent, cool to wear and a surgical mask and with a cotton mask were
easy to work with. Cotton appears to have 2,56 log copies/ml, 2,42 log copies/ml, and
specific filtration advantages over synthetic 1,85 log copies/ml respectively. This indicates
fabrics like polyester because of its unique that a cotton mask is better than a surgical mask
physical, chemical and antimicrobial in filtering the SARS-CoV-2 virions. Among 15
properties. Tests conducted with 22 gram- different types of fabrics tested for filtering
positive bacteria on five different hospital aerosol nanoparticles, cotton performed better
fabrics showed that 100% cotton was than silk, chiffon, flannel, and various synthetics
found to be far superior to cotton/polyester and their blends.
blends or 100% polyester, in preventing the Government agencies in India and the USA
survival and spread of pathogens. Mounting have recommended using fabric of tightly
scientific evidence supports cotton for being woven cotton fibres, such as quilting fabric,
the preferred choice showing protection cotton sheets or T-shirt fabric, for the making
against a wide range of harmful microbial of DIY non-medical masks.
pathogens, including corona viruses such as Compared to the smooth texture of synthetic
SARS-CoV-2. fibres, cotton fibres have a rough surface with
In addition, cotton demonstrates filtration numerous nano-sized pores that may serve
efficiency, pathogen obstruction, breathability as anchors for adsorption and adherence
and comfort. This is due to its unique physical, of nano-sized virions. This is complemented
chemical and iso-electric properties, which by adhesion hysteresis, which is defined as
make cotton fibres superior to synthetic fibres the difference between the energy needed
such as polyester and nylon. to separate two surfaces and that which
Cotton absorbs, dehydrates and originally brought them together. These
deactivates. The special properties of cotton properties may contribute to the superior
cause a stronger attachment of virions to performance of cotton in filtering out virions
its fibres, followed by deactivation due relative to synthetic fibres.

6 | Katoen SA \\ Cotton SA