Silver savior: San Franciscan creative launches virus-combating antimicrobial coating

30 Oct 2020 --- As the COVID-19 crisis pushes food safety concerns to unparalleled levels, Designsake Studio is delivering Matter, a new silver-based antimicrobial coating that can reduce the presence of harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses by 99 percent.

The San Francisco, US, creative agency’s protective barrier utilizes silver ion technology, minimizing the possibility of microbes and viruses infiltrating packaging. 

Addressing silver toxicity concerns, Danielle McWaters, founder and CCO of Designsake Studio, tells PackagingInsights that silver is a natural and safe element.

The pandemic has highlighted the true vulnerabilities of high touch surfaces, says Designsake Studio.“[Silver] has only been shown to have any effects on humans when ingested as colloidal silver in enormous quantities. Matter is infused into the coating on the package and does not leach out.” 

Protective properties
Matter stops bacteria metabolizing by preventing it from converting nutrients into energy, inhibiting bacterial survival, reproduction and colonization.

The antimicrobial coating can be either aqueous or solvent-based, making it compatible with paper, plastics, glass, metal and textiles.

The coating lasts the lifetime of the product and does not compromise on its aesthetics or functionality.

Matter is approved by both the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and entirely recyclable.The Matter antimicrobial coating lasts the product’s lifetime.

EPA registration hurdles
The antimicrobial technology took years to develop, says McWaters, with the main challenge being registration with the EPA.

“[It is] a long, slow and expensive process that requires you to demonstrate efficacy and safety, which we proudly stand on,” McWaters maintains.

Several of Matter’s customers are currently testing Matter-treated products for efficacy against viruses. “Unfortunately, EPA regulations prohibit US companies from making antiviral claims unless they are disinfectants,” says McWaters.

“Enormous interest” in F&B packaging
Having launched just this month, Designsake has already seen enormous interest in beauty, health and wellness, cannabis and food spaces.

“We are in talks with other large scale manufacturers who are interested in offering this protection to their clients,” notes McWaters.

Silver packaging may sound expensive, but adding Matter is just like adding a coating to a print job, meaning that the cost is determined by the print specs and how much of the material is used, she explains.Designsake has received “enormous interest” in beauty, health and food spaces in the past month. 

Protecting food packaging
Antimicrobial packaging is pegged as a progressive food hygiene space – although the World Health Organization maintains that it is “highly unlikely” people can contract COVID-19 from food or food packaging. 

However, Designsake Studio points out the risk of disease transmission from surfaces is “real” as many diseases that affect human beings today involve viral pathogens, not bacteria.

“It took a global pandemic for companies and consumers to realize the true vulnerabilities of high touch surfaces, specifically packaging,” the company states.

PackagingInsights recently took a comprehensive look at how antimicrobial packaging is propelling food waste prevention to new heights besides enhancing food safety amid COVID-19 hygiene concerns.

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By Anni Schleicher