We have created a product that is unique and never before seen
FUZE is a permanent, chemical-free technology that can be applied to any surface or textile to prevent and protect against harmful pathogens, mould, and infectious diseases. Dedicated to sustainability, only a small amount of FUZE is applied during a patented embedding process at either the factory or the consumer level, causing no harmful effects to people or the environment. Speaking to Fibre2Fashion, FUZE Biotech President Andrew Peterson discusses the current challenges in the textile industry, the role of technology such as FUZE in improving sustainability, reducing pollution, and combating issues like odour-causing bacteria and mould.
What are the biggest challenges facing the textile industry today?
We have had dozens of meetings over the past few weeks with suppliers, brands, and mills. The first topic of the day is always uncertainty. Their business is down 50 per cent to 80 per cent from the previous year and customers are not willing to provide forecasts or predict when there will be a return to normalcy. Excessive inventory is prevalent in the market and consumer spending has dropped off with recession anxiety.
How can technology be used to improve the sustainability of the textile industry?
We see new technologies being implemented at every facility we walk through or tour. The theme is always consistent – reduce costs, improve efficiency, and focus on a sustainable initiative that is customer and corporate driven. Automation and improved equipment is a key solution to reducing pollution and water waste while improving the end product. FUZE is a cutting-edge technology made possible by scientific advancements over the last 20 years. It is quickly replacing chemicals that have been used in textiles for nearly 100 years with almost no change. FUZE is focused on the research of being more efficient, more effective, and more sustainable.
What are the ethical considerations involved in the production and consumption of textiles?
Our foremost ethical concern is that the marketing to the end consumer by a brand or corporate entity does not align with the manufacturing process that they are using and most times dictating. For example, a brand promotes and incentivises recycling of a product as a way to present a sustainable image but is using a material or additive that prevents that process from being possible or even viable.
Can you provide an overview of FUZE Biotech and its core areas of focus within the biotech industry?
FUZE is not a large chemical distribution company with a focus on volume. We have created a product that is unique and never before seen. We focus on being chemical free and a ‘race to zero’, which is another way of saying that more is not better. Our research and development is dedicated to being the most effective while applying as little as possible. In terms of technology, we are the only single product known that will not create bacterial resistance ‘superbugs’ while still being a wide spectrum antibiotic and antibacterial agent.
How can your technology help to improve the sustainability of the textile industry?
FUZE is manufactured in ultra-pure water, shipped and stored in water, applied in water without any other chemical or binding agent necessary for use. It is extremely durable in wash testing at multiples higher than other products in the market. It does not create waste for remediation at application and more importantly it does not create a waste stream at home during laundry or a problem for municipal waste treatment plants.
What are the challenges that the textile industry faces in terms of odour-causing bacteria and mould?
The biggest challenge we hear is that the amount of additive product required to make a textile effective at odour control or bacteria elimination significantly affects the hand feel of the fabric. Textiles trying to retain odour control through multiple washes often are required to overload the fabric to compensate for the significant amounts that are removed during initial launderings. This is a problem that FUZE eliminates. The alternative of embedding a product in the fibre for longer wash durability prevents sustainable recycling, is a much higher cost, reduces yarn options, and increases supply chain difficulty. Compounding that problem are environmental regulations being imposed. Controlling pollution or the idea of preventing long-term unintended consequences by blocking all biocides is a default regulatory solution. Resources are not available or are not being made available to thoroughly review safe solutions, approve acceptable options and eliminate the toxic and hazardous.
How can your technology help to protect consumers from the health risks associated with odour-causing bacteria and mould?
Standardised testing in the industry focuses on a limited set of bacteria that are representative of the larger group. The intention of that set is that they are known causes of infection and hospitalisation once they reach significant counts. Odour is a result of the exhaust from the biological function of the bacteria. At high numbers and with supplied food the odour increases significantly until safely eliminated. Eliminating high numbers of infection causing bacteria in a safe method with the patented ion-free technology of FUZE is preventative, non-evaporative measure on textiles and surfaces.
What is your approach to innovation and staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the biotech field?
The science never rests. We have barely scratched the surface of what we are capable of doing as a platform technology. We try to our best to be narrow and precise in our studies and focus on devices and products where we can institute real life saving change as quickly as possible.
From a regulatory standpoint, what are some of the key considerations and compliance requirements that FUZE Biotech must navigate in order to bring its products to market?
Educate and inform. Regulatory tends to be a one size fits all course of action. Our challenge is bringing a 21st century technology through outdated regulation. It is an expensive and time-consuming venture with multiple bodies all over the world. It is impossible for a regulatory agency to be experts in each and every technology that exists or is being presented. FUZE has a responsibility to be prudent, open with our research, and, more importantly, hold ourselves to a higher standard of safety and compliance than any agency would subject us. FUZE has long had the mantra that we can effect change in this world for the better.
Are there any other challenges that your company faces in terms of commercialising your technology?
Pre-COVID we faced a litany of challenges as we navigated the industry. Those ranged from pricing, implementation, application methods and educating a generation on our product. Although devastating on a world stage, the pandemic created the ability for us to scale our production volume and reduce costs significantly while delivering a product that was in high demand. It also created an awareness around antibacterial products that assists as a differentiator in the arena. We couple this with a vacuum created by the demand for a product to meet sustainable requirements and overcome regulatory changes that created a new set of challenges. Those challenges include distribution worldwide and having quick access to available resources to work with mills and factories on the implementation.
What are the opportunities that your company sees in the textile industry?
The ability to provide a chemical free high performance textile application across all textile verticals—nonwovens, hospitality, activewear, workwear, medical, and first responder. We have an endless opportunity to create a meaningful difference in how textiles additives are created, applied, and considered. We expect to be an example of sustainable thinking.
Interviewer: Shilpi Panjabi
Published on: 19/05/2023
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
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