Treating textiles and polymers
These are typical questions asked by companies who are considering the use of Ultra-Fresh. Please click on any of the following questions in order to view the corresponding answer given in a general scope. Specific answers, relating to a particular application or type of treated product are not addressed by this web site. To discuss your specific application, please contact TRA or your local distributor.
- How do you know if Ultra-Fresh is present on the finished article?
- Does Ultra-Fresh have an odour?
- What types of products can I treat with Ultra-Fresh?
- How can I buy Ultra-Fresh?
- What does Ultra-Fresh cost?
- How can I apply the Ultra-Fresh treatment?
- Do I have to buy special equipment to apply Ultra-Fresh?
- Will Ultra-Fresh affect the characteristics of my product (ie. colour fastness, crocking, yellowing, reaction time, cure time, stability etc.)
- Can Ultra-Fresh be used along with other treatments (ie. fire-retardants, dyes, softeners, wicking agents etc.)
- How long does the Ultra-Fresh treatment last?
To view all the questions and answers in a single file, click here.
How do you know if Ultra-Fresh is present on the finished article?
Look for the Ultra-Fresh brand on the packaging. Ultra-Fresh is invisible on treated articles. This is important so as not to change the desired appearance of the article. Demonstrating antimicrobial properties requires laboratory tests. Products that bear the Ultra-Fresh brand have been tested using internationally recognized methods and have been proven to have the antimicrobial performance that is specified on the label. Products that bear the Ultra-Fresh brand are retested on a regular basis to guarantee their antimicrobial performance.
Does Ultra-Fresh have an odour?
No. However some new textiles do have odours that are caused by the combination of treatments that are applied to them. These odors usually disappear after 1 or 2 washes.
What types of products can I treat with Ultra-Fresh?
Ultra-Fresh is a whole line of antimicrobial treatments that have been formulated to be applied to a wide range of products, mostly in the areas of textile and polymers. Click here to see some examples of the types of product that our customers treat.
How can I buy Ultra-Fresh?
Ultra-Fresh is sold to industrial users either directly by Thomson Research Associates or from our worldwide network of distributors.
What does Ultra-Fresh cost?
The cost of using Ultra-Fresh will vary depending on the type of application and the Ultra-Fresh product used. In addition, the cost would be affected by specific customer requirements for performance and durability. It is not possible to give a general cost of the Ultra-Fresh treatment. After discussing the customer's requirements and recommending which Ultra-Fresh product to use, TRA or your local distributor would then be able to determine the cost of the treatment.
How can I apply the Ultra-Fresh treatment?
Ultra-Fresh is applied using normal manufacturing processes. For textiles this could be exhaust, pad (foulard), spraying, coating or foaming. In polymers it could be coating, extrusion, injection molding etc.
Do I have to buy special equipment to apply Ultra-Fresh?
Ultra-Fresh is applied on standard equipment. Special equipment is usually not necessary.
Will Ultra-Fresh affect the characteristics of my product (ie. colour fastness, crocking, yellowing, reaction time, cure time, stability etc.)
Ultra-Fresh has been formulated to have little or no effect on the other properties of a treated product. However we do recommend that laboratory or plant trials be run before a manufacturer goes into full production.
Can Ultra-Fresh be used along with other treatments (ie. fire-retardants, dyes, softeners, wicking agents etc.)
Most Ultra-Fresh treatments are non-ionic and are compatible with softeners and other auxiliaries. However, as there is a lot of variation in the types of auxiliaries that are available around the world, we do recommend running compatibility tests before going into full production.
How long does the Ultra-Fresh treatment last?
TRA works closely with manufacturers to insure that the correct treatment, correct procedures and correct level of Ultra-Fresh are applied to the article so that it will last for the useful life of that article.