How Nano-Tex Fabrics Repel Stains Nano-Tex is one company becoming widely known for its nano-engineered fabrics

that repel stains and control moisture levelsin a way unheard of a very short time ago. But how exactly dothey do such an effective job? The stain repellent fabrics from Nano-Tex are called, Nano-Care.The Nano-Care fabrics use billions of tiny fibres, each about 10nanometers long, embedded within traditional materials like cotton or linen. The fibres (called nanowhiskers") arewaterproof and increase the density of the fabric. This increasesthe surface tension on the outer layer of the fabric so liquidcannot soak through. Nano-Care will last for around 50 homewash cycles before its effectiveness is lost. Unlike treatments likeScotchguarding, which is simply sprayed on the surface, Nano-Care treatments are actually embedded in the productsthemselves. Nanotechnology can also be used in the opposite manner toincrease the ability of textiles, particularly synthetics, to absorbdyes. Until now most polypropylenes have resisted dyeing, sothey were deemed unsuitable for consumer goods like clothing,table cloths, or floor and window coverings. A new techniquebeing developed is to add nanosized particles of dye friendly clayto raw polypropylene stock before it is extruded into fibres. Theresultant composite material can absorb dyes without weakeningthe fabric