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Cupron fibers claim to kill 99.9% jock itch fungus

18 Feb '14

3 min read

Cupron, creator of copper-based antimicrobial technologies, has received its fourth public health claim from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), expanding the technology’s anti-fungal claims to include tinea cruris or jock itch fungus – specifically its ability to kill Trichophyton mentagrophytes, which is the causative agent of jock itch fungus, by more than 99.9 percent after 12 hours of contact with Cupron-enhanced textiles.

Last year, Cupron received a similar EPA public health claim highlighting the technology’s ability to kill 99.9 percent of athlete’s foot fungus on the fabric and fibers. Given the health and performance issues these two fungal problems pose to athletes, Cupron initially is partnering with apparel manufacturers to develop Cupron-enhanced athletic wear such as shorts, capris, leggings and tights. Cupron expects to begin announcing these partnerships and product availability throughout 2014.

“Cupron technology now boasts two EPA anti-fungal claims for its ability to kill athlete’s foot and jock itch fungus on the textiles, as well as a separate independent test showing it improves skin elasticity by up to 30 percent in as little as 30 days,” said Chris Andrews, President of Cupron – Americas.

“This repeated third-party validation affirms our belief that Cupron technology can transform the performance apparel market by enhancing athletic wear with certain health benefits that currently aren’t readily available to professional athletes and weekend warriors alike.”

Tinea cruris or jock itch is a contagious fungal infection of the groin that can cause itching, stinging and burning, and it can be spread by contact with an infected person, their contaminated clothing or textiles and contaminated surfaces. Jock itch also can be spread from contact with clothing contaminated with athlete’s foot fungus. Approximately one half of patients with jock itch also suffer from athlete’s foot.

In order to submit these claims to the EPA, the Cupron-enhanced textiles first had to achieve a 100-percent pass rate at an independent testing laboratory under the highest laboratory standards available. The samples were tested with simulated wear conditions, environmental conditions, cleaning protocols and for efficacy after repeated exposure.

“Adding a fourth EPA public health claim is a landmark achievement for Cupron’s technology, especially when you consider how rigorous the testing requirements are for each individual claim and the lack of a comparable antimicrobial technology currently available to the apparel industry,” said Alastair Monk, Ph.D., Cupron Director of Clinical and Scientific Affairs.

“Cupron’s anti-fungal capabilities are significant because of how difficult fungal spores can be to remove. In a separate study, the Hohenstein Institute in Germany has demonstrated that fungal spores can be transferred between clothing in the laundry basket, and only washes at over 140 degrees Fahrenheit can completely remove fungal spores. Our technology provides a continuously active method to kill specific fungal spores on clothing.”

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