The Hohenstein Institute has set up a centre for textile public health as part of its group of companies in Boennigheim. The Hohenstein Health Centre will focus specifically on medical textiles - clothing, textile products or processes which affect human health. Its main purpose will be to support use of textiles to promote, protect and restore good health.
Prof. Dirk Höfer is leading the new centre as medical director and managing director of Hohenstein Laboratories.The Hohenstein Institute has set up a centre for textile public health as part of its group of companies in Boennigheim. The Hohenstein Health Centre will focus specifically on medical textiles - clothing, textile products or processes which affect human health. Its main purpose will be to support use of textiles to promote, protect and restore good health.#
The use of textile products in disease prevention and maintaining and restoring human health in everyday life - and also for medical, caring and hygiene purposes - has increased greatly. Many of the users and other people involved in healthcare do not have the necessary clear, up-to-date and scientifically-based information about the benefits, risks, applications and areas of use of these textiles.
Medical textiles in the healthcare sector have been a growth market worldwide for decades, also benefiting small and medium-sized companies producing interesting products, but the framework conditions are going to become much more difficult in future. The changes that will be introduced by the EU Directive on Medical Devices (MDR) which enters into power in 2017 will present new challenges for textile companies operating in the medical textiles sector. For example, there will be higher specifications for clinical evaluation.
It is against this background that the Hohenstein Health Centre will in future be developing and supporting medical expertise on textile products affecting human health, both those that are either already on the market and those due to be launched. It will also be establishing links with the various players in the healthcare sector who deal with this kind of textile, and sharing expertise and new findings within the textile industry and among doctors and consumers.
The Hohenstein Health Centre will offer specialist medical expertise to support efficient product development, from the initial research concept through to product launch on the market. (SV)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India