The Swiss material science company Livinguard Technologies AG developed Livinguard Better Fresh - a revolutionary textile finishing solution that combines leading odor control functionality with an innovative mechanism which reduces the shedding of microfibers over the entire lifetime of textiles. This technology marks a bold step towards a more sustainable future of apparel and provides a tangible solution to tackle the mounting challenge of chemical and microplastic pollution stemming from clothes. 

Pfaeffikon SZ, Switzerland – July 15, 2025

The environmental impact of textiles arising from microfiber shedding has increased dramatically over the past years as the use of synthetic fibers in the apparel industry continues to grow and fast fashion business models continue to gain share. Fiber fragmentation and resulting microplastic and chemical pollution affects waterways, the air and soil.

Livinguard Better Fresh combines a functional and an environmental benefit in a single solution. On the one hand, the technology provides leading odor control which is a valuable functional benefit for consumers. On the other hand, the solution reduces fiber fragmentation by up to 80% and extends the product’s useful life - resulting in a superior safety, environmental, and cost profile for apparel brands. Both claims have been extensively validated in the course of several in-house trials and testing conducted with independent laboratories.

This new product is the result of a long development journey with deep global collaboration. Livinguard leveraged extensive R&D investments over the past 15 years to develop a proprietary blend of chemistry that has then been thoroughly tested for performance, safety, environmental impact, and compliance with the highest industry standards in mind (e.g. bluesign). Furthermore, Livinguard Technologies used the company’s extensive knowhow in textile finishing to optimize and streamline the application of the technology in a real-world environment, ensuring the innovation can be deployed seamlessly on existing equipment and in established processes. 

Recognizing that awareness for the environmental impact of textile microfiber shedding is still emerging among consumers and that demand for solutions addressing this issue alone may be consequently limited, Livinguard Technologies have chosen to integrate odor control functionality, a well-understood and valued benefit, with this innovative fiber protection technology. This two-in-one solution allows brands and manufacturers alike to fund most costs for the chemical solution itself and for managing the complexity associated with its implementation by substituting their existing odor control technologies with Livinguard Better Fresh. Many established odor control solutions are prone to leach out over time and consequently increase chemical pollution arising from textiles. Livinguard’s new technology binds permanently to the treated fibers and strongly holds them together to ensure the least possible chemical and microfiber discharge. 

The Livinguard Better Fresh technology is officially launched during the Functional Fabric Fair in NYC and Functional Textiles in Shanghai while further validation activities are carried out with partners from academia, external laboratories as well as pilot customers (apparel brands & textile mills) worldwide.

This new technology can substantially contribute to various established solution pathways for microfiber pollution as it allows for the development or further improvement of low-shedding fabrics with minimal impact on established production equipment and supply chains. Furthermore, due to its built-in odor control functionality, it enables consumers to use their clothes longer and adopt more sustainable laundry practices (e.g. washing at lower temperatures). Finally, it enhances product longevity without any negative impact on recycling / circularity of the treated clothes. Overall, Livinguard Better Fresh provides a cost-effective solution to make tangible and substantial progress in the fight against plastic pollution quickly. 

Quotes

"Environmental pollution caused by microfibers from textiles has reached absurd proportions. There is an urgent need for action, and we cannot wait any longer and hope that the problem will solve itself. It is time to act quickly and decisively to prevent irreparable environmental damage. Our innovative technology can make a meaningful contribution to solving this global problem."

Sanjeev Swamy, CEO & Founder of Livinguard Technologies AG

“No solution is perfect – neither is this one. But this technology provides meaningful impact and it can be implemented today to complement ongoing efforts to mitigate microfiber shedding that are already ongoing. As a society we must act today and stop the bleeding.”

Dr. Alok Goel, R&D Manager at Livinguard Technologies AG

“Everybody talks about sustainability – however nobody is willing to pay for solutions that help to mitigate the environmental impact of the clothes we wear every day. The entire industry runs on nickels and dimes. I believe that with this combined solution that offers both a functional as well as an environmental benefit, we have a commercially viable approach available that allows actors to do better without breaking the bank.”

Jan Hilger, Head of Textiles at Livinguard Technologies AG

About textile microfiber shedding

Textiles have been identified as a key driver of chemical and microplastic pollution. During every home laundry, up to 700k microfiber fragments can get released in wastewater. Over 30% of microplastics released into the oceans every year stem from synthetic textiles and up to 500k tonnes of microplastic fibers from textiles enter the oceans annually. While the long-term health impact of microplastics exposure is still vastly unknown, it has unfortunately become an integral part of modern life.

Commonly known mitigation strategies for textile brands include better materials selection, more sustainable manufacturing practices and pre-washing/brushing treatments during production. However, they all increase material and processing costs significantly and it has proven challenging for brands to enforce compliance of these best practices across globally decentralized supply chains.

Various stakeholders in the textile industry work on solutions to mitigate fiber fragmentation and shedding due to these alarming facts. Commonly known mitigation pathways include designing better materials and production processes, promoting consumer awareness and more sustainable laundry processes, and finally implementing of microfiber filter mandates for home laundry machines. 

About Livinguard Better Fresh

Livinguard Better Fresh is a groundbreaking new textile finishing chemistry that combines a biocide-free odor control solution with a mechanism to reduce the shedding of microfibers. The water-based chemistry is applied during the manufacturing process of the fabric during the finishing step after dyeing. The application of the Livinguard Better Fresh technology can be combined with other textile effects and finishings and is conducted either via padding or exhaust.

Livinguard Better Fresh functionalizes the treated fabric with a permanent positive chemical charge that enables a unique, powerful and durable odor control mechanism. Electrostatic attraction created by the technology adsorbs and traps odor molecules prevalent in the human body (e.g. isovaleric acid, acetic acid, nonenal) and, depending on the odor compound, converts these volatile gases into odorless salts. Washing then releases these residues and exposes the positive charges again. At the same time, polymers of different lengths strongly wrap around the fibers and thus reduce fragmentation and reduce the shedding of harmful microfiber fragments. 

Livinguard Better Fresh is proven to reduce up to 99% of relevant odorants based on the ISO 17299-3 standard. Testing with Intertek Laboratories (based on the ISO 8848-2 method) as well as in-house validation (based on the industry standard method for analyzing microfiber shedding AATCC TM212 and based on in-house protocols) indicate a reduction in fiber loss attributable to the Livinguard Better Fresh treatment typically above 70% and in some instances exceeding 90% during the first 10 washes (most of the shedding occurs during the first wash cycles).

Even though the Livinguard Better Fresh technology does not provide a simple solution that can single-handedly tackle the microfiber challenge alone, this technology has the potential to provide a game-changing environmental impact and contribute materially to tackling the microfiber problem arising from textiles. The solution provides a scalable approach for manufacturers to compensate for inherent shedding regardless of material selection, fabric construction and manufacturing practices. Furthermore, the solution provides full traceability along the supply chain (as the cationic charge of the functionalized fabric can be easily detected and tested for at every step in the supply chain). 

About Livinguard Technologies AG

Livinguard Technologies AG is a Swiss material science company with a broad solutions portfolio targeting the textile industry as well as other applications in personal hygiene, air filtration and medical. The company has developed a sustainable technology platform based on various proprietary polycationic polymers that enable the functionalization of surfaces to deliver performance and function that is safer for consumers and the environment.

Livinguard is headquartered in Switzerland and operates an applications and microbiology laboratory in Mumbai, India for safety and performance testing. Livinguard Technologies has built a global network of sales & distribution partners and works in close collaboration with development partners in academia and materials research. 

Contact information

Livinguard Technologies AG
Zentrum Staldenbach 7, 8808 Pfaeffikon SZ, Switzerland
news@livinguard.com
‍Website: www.livinguard.com/news, www.livinguard.com/bf 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/livinguard-technologies