Newton Fund - Antimicrobial textiles for the healthcare sector

The textile and clothing industry in Mexico has experienced a major productivity transformation thanks to the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, USA and Canada. Introduced in 1994, NAFTA has had a positive effect on employment and also exports from Mexico. Currently the textile industry, which is over a century old in Mexico, represents the fourth largest manufacturing sector and is experiencing strong jobs growth. Since 1994, it is also a source of foreign currency earnings due to being the second highest industrial sector for exports. Textile and clothing enterprises are found throughout Mexico (Coahuila, Durango, Chihuahua, Aguascalientes, Mexico, Puebla, Guanajuato, Yucatán and Tlaxcala). The sector sustains around 18% of national employment - 1,300,000 jobs in total. The implication of current geopolitical trends in the Americas are a good reason for the Mexican sector to move up the value-added chain, and the ACTIN project will assist the sector to do this.


ACTin is a collaboration between Mexican and UK companies and research institutes for the development of durable anti-microbial textiles for the healthcare industry. This is a strategically important focus area in both countries due to the significant economic and social impact of healthcare acquired infections which lead to extended stays in hospitals, higher healthcare costs, and thousands of deaths globally each year. This project builds on previous collaboration in the successful CuVito project (EU-Mexico collaboration funded by the European Commission's FP7 programme and CONACYT) and will develop novel copper-based and functionalised-silica based treatments for textiles. Innovative methods for incorporation of the active agents via inkjet printing and also a patented melt-mixing process will be used. The project aims to deliver value-added products for the SMEs involved in the project both in Mexico and the UK, which will help them leverage this novel technology for competitive advantages in the healthcare industry and also open the doors for further collaboration between UK and Mexico. Some partners may also be able to pursue licensing opportunities after the project.

The health of the population is an essential element for the economic development of any country, and it constitutes a priority for public policy in Mexico also, with an ongoing search for novel technologies that can improve public health. In Mexico, the health sector is one of the major economic activities and one with strong growth in recent years. Specifically in 2014, the health sector was equivalent to 5.7% of the national economy in Mexico.

In addition to the social benefits of improved healthcare via reducing HAIs, novel antimicrobial textiles, especially those based on copper, can provide Mexican textiles businesses with a distinct value-added high-tech product which will differentiate their product offer from the low-cost imports from Asia in the textiles market.

The ultimate impacts of these activities will be to assist the UK’s ODA effort and support three of the UN’s sustainable development goals, i.e. goal 9.3 (promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation), goal 9.5 (enhance scientific research and upgrade technological capabilities of industrial sectors), and goal 9B (support domestic technology development, research and innovation). Research into HAIs is particularly relevant to developing countries and hence adds value to ODA ; a recent World Health Organisation report stated that in low- and middle-income countries the frequency of ICU-acquired infection is at least 2 to 3 times higher than in high-income countries.