virus-killing copper jacket wipes out germs and bacteria before they can even grow on it

"Vollebak's virus-killing copper jacket can wipe out different kinds of germs and bacteria before they can even have the chance to grow on it. Named Full Metal Jacket, the technical clothing contains three layers of textile with 11 kilometers of copper wire. The design team uses industrial lasers to convert the copper into yarns, which they then weave into a wearable protective piece of clothing."

"After coating, the yarn goes through a six-day curing process where it is woven, scoured, heat-set, and dried. The copper layer is combined with a c_change membrane, which is a waterproof and breathable barrier. This part can react to changes in temperature and humidity, so when the weather is hot, the virus-killing copper jacket opens to allow heat and moisture to escape. Then, when the weather is cold, the structure closes to retain warmth and keep the wearer away from frost."

"Although metal is usually hard, copper's atomic structure allows it to bend without breaking. This structure is called a face-centered cubic crystal, which gives the metal both strength and flexibility, making it possible to weave copper into textile form while keeping it functional as a fabric. The design team also picked copper for its ability to conduct heat and electricity and for its natural ability to resist bacteria and viruses. When microbes touch copper, electrically charged ions disrupt their outer membranes and destroy their DNA,"

Full Metal Jacket is a technical garment woven with 11 kilometers of laser-spun copper wire across three textile layers. Copper rods are drawn into uniform yarns using laser-controlled machinery, then lacquer-coated and sent through a six-day curing process that includes weaving, scouring, heat-setting, and drying. The copper layer integrates with a c_change membrane that responds to temperature and humidity, opening to release heat and moisture in warm conditions and closing to retain warmth in cold conditions. Copper's face-centered cubic crystal structure enables flexibility, heat and electrical conductivity, and an inherent antimicrobial action that disrupts microbial membranes and DNA.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine