Scientists at the Hohenstein Institute have created a unique textile testing methodology that allows manufacturers to evaluate the effects their fabrics may have on the people who wear them. Scientists at Hohenstein’s Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology have developed the ability to test a fabric’s interaction with living skin cells. Test results will indicate whether a fabric is likely to induce an allergic reaction or skin irritation in the wearer.

“With this science, we can confirm for manufacturers that their textile products will perform as designed,” says Dr. Dirk Höfer, the department’s director. “For products marketed to a sensitive consumer segment such as children’s wear, intimate apparel, bedding, medical devices and textiles, and products for people with allergies, this added reassurance that fabrics will not cause adverse skin reactions will provide a significant competitive advantage.”

Textile products are tested against two stringent criteria.  Firstly, testing determines that fabrics do not cause chemical damage to the human skin cells, known as cytotoxicity. Secondly, it is ascertained that the fabrics do not elicit a stressful response from the skin cells which would indicate a potential allergic reaction. Textile products that pass both tests can be marketed to consumers as hypoallergenic fabrics that will not irritate sensitive users.

Hohenstein Institute is a leading provider of Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification which tests textile products to ensure that they do not contain harmful levels of more than 100 substances believed to be dangerous to human health. “Every consumer should expect their textiles to be safe as indicated by the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification,” says Dr. Höfer. “Super sensitive consumers can now be just as confident that their textile products also will not cause unexpected and potentially unpleasant skin reactions.”

About Hohenstein Institute

With global headquarters in Boennigheim, Germany and U.S offices in Elon, NC, the Hohenstein Institute offers state-of-the-art product development and testing for textile products such as clothing, home textiles, upholstery, protective apparel and equipment, and medical textiles. They provide materials testing and certification for textile safety, UV protection, antimicrobial effectiveness, FR performance, and many other technical features. Comparative and competitive product testing services are also available. Hohenstein is a leading provider of the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, the international standard for safe textiles, and is certified by the U. S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC ID #1058) as a third-party, independent laboratory for CPSIA compliance verification. www.Hohenstein.de.