GreenShield finish can be a barrier to virus spread

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The GreenShield Company, a division of BigSky Technologies LLC, is responding to the global Coronavirus pandemic with concern and hope for those being impacted by the disease. GreenShield is taking this opportunity to evaluate its products effectiveness in reducing the ability of the Coronavirus to contaminate and transmit on different surfaces.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn to protect the wearer's body from infection and to minimize exposure to airborne particulate such as the Coronavirus. Protective lab coats, pre-caution gowns, surgical gowns & covers, and other protective clothing need to be breathable, comfortable and reusable. Many of these protective materials are woven polyester/cotton blend fabrics that utilize finishes for additional performance features such as liquid resistance and durability.

The small amount of fluorochemical used in the GreenShield finish provides a surface that repels oil-based materials, such as viruses, like COVID-19, which has an oily lipid outer layer. The lipid layer is essentially a fatty envelope that holds the virus. This envelope is what appears to be the Achille's heel of the virus, as breaking this layer causes the whole virus to fall apart. When coming into contact with materials treated with GreenShield, these viruses do not adhere to the surface but rather roll off of the surface structure.

"The little bit of fluorochemical-based GreenShield C6XL goes a long way towards clean, safe surfaces on personal protective materials," said Dr. Cathy Fleischer, Managing Partner and co-founder of BigSky Technologies.

"In the crisis that we are dealing with, GreenShield treated fabrics are easy to clean, reduce their impact on the environment, and increase health and safety," said Fleischer.

GreenShield is a nano-particle finish that has 5-10 times lower fluorochemical compared to competitive products that use higher levels of fluorine to meet industry standards.

GreenShield can be used on many materials, including polyester, cotton, nylon, and solution dyed fibers (for cleaning with diluted bleach). The patented GreenShield finish is chemically bound to the fibers of the fabric and remain colorfast and durable for the life of the fabric. Fabrics finished with Greenshield have exceptional water repellency, maintain their durability, breathability, original hand and are recyclable.

Learn more at https://greenshieldfinish.com/

About BigSky Technologies LLC

BigSky Technologies LLC is a materials science company that manufacturers textile finishes inspired by nature. The company develops cost-effective solutions for the coatings, fabrics, and composite industries using sustainable manufacturing processes while reducing or eliminating the use of harmful chemicals. BigSky Technologies LLC produces GreenShield(R), an environmentally friendly stain resistant fabric finish.

Related link: https://greenshieldfinish.com/

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