NanoSphere® fabric finish

About the Product

Company: Schoeller Technologies AG
Product Phase: Available
Product Type: Fabric finish
Patent Name: Finishings For Textile Fibers and Fabrics to Give Hydrophobic Oleophobic and Self-Cleaning Surfaces
Patent Number: US20080214075
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Inspiring Strategy

Wing surface self-cleans: Morpho butterfly >

Product or process

Butterflies don’t take baths. Instead, nano-scale surface structures on their wings repel water and most dirt and also cause dirt particles to be carried away by water. Schoeller Technologies AG of Switzerland created a fabric finish called NanoSphere® that is self-cleaning, dirt- and water-repellent, and abrasion-resistant. Less washing and abrasion reduce use of natural resources and harmful chemical cleaners.

Consumer products that use this technology

Levi's 511 Skinny Commuter Jeans

The biomimicry story

Schoeller Technologies looked at how the leaves of some plants stay clean because dirt cannot adhere to their nano-structured surfaces. They applied this nanostructure to the surfaces of their textiles to help keep them clean, while also being breathable.