HOUSTON - Sorpol, an importer and distributor of industrial raw materials in Israel, has launched a website to sell Acteev Protect masks, made in the USA by polyamide manufacturer Ascend Performance Materials.
The two companies also plan to partner in the distribution of Acteev surgical masks, N95 respirators, nonwoven media and textile fabrics as they become available.
Laboratory tests have demonstrated Acteev fabric effective at deactivating 99.9% of the viruses SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and H1N1, a flu virus. Acteev technology also eliminates bacteria and fungi.
Ofer Soreq, Sorpol’s marketing director, said the Acteev Protect line fits in neatly with the mission of the company, which was founded by his grandfather 90 years ago. “Our customers are looking for high-value ‘smart textiles’ – products with special features, like innovative protective technology and a sustainable footprint, that can help keep them safe and help them return to the lives they enjoyed before the pandemic,” he said. “People deserve a better quality of mask protection than what is offered by the mass-produced disposable polypropylene masks.”
Recent testing on Acteev fabric completed at the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that Acteev technology deactivates the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, with 99.9% efficacy on contact. Ascend has submitted several masks designs to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to obtain the appropriate regulatory clearances to make specific claims regarding the technology’s antiviral properties in the United States.
In addition to antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial protection, the washable, reusable masks are lightweight, breathable and odour-fighting, making them comfortable to wear during a long shift at work or for outdoor workouts.
“Masks don’t work if you wear them around your chin,” Soreq said. “Acteev Protect masks are so light, comfortable and fresh that they can be worn for hours without interfering with your activities or irritating your face.”
Acteev Protect shows promise for use beyond masks, according to Ascend. The technology was originally developed for workout wear, and now the company is working on textile applications ranging from gloves to scrubs to high-end athleisure.
“Until now, antifungal and antibacterial materials were too expensive for textiles used in upholstery, outdoor gear, sports gear and the like,” Soreq said. “But you want to go on a 20-day trek and not have your gear smell like a dead animal. We believe Acteev Protect can make that happen.”
