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A Kenyan researcher has developed clothing material that repels the malaria causing mosquitoes. The fashionable hooded body suit embedded with insecticides for warding off malaria causing mosquitoes. The outfit by Gambian apparel designer Matilda Ceesay was worn by models on the catwalk during a fashion show at Cornell University two weeks ago.

A Kenyan researcher has developed clothing material that repels the malaria causing mosquitoes.

Manipulating materials at a very basic level in what is called nanotechnology, Dr Frederick Ochanda and colleagues at Cornell University in the US created a material they say could make the next generation of mosquito nets that are longer lasting and more effective.

The university says in a statement that the material can be fashioned into ordinary garments to be worn outdoors or even during the day to offer protection against mosquito bite.

Sewn into a body hugging outdoor garment by Gambian apparel designer, Matilda Ceesay, the creation was on the catwalk during a fashion show held at the university two weeks ago.

The material which comes in many colours, is loaded with up to three times more insecticide than normal nets, hence promising to offer protection for a longer time.

“The bond on our fabric is very difficult to break,” says Dr Ochanda, a Kenyan post doctoral associate in Cornell’s Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design.

“This is an interesting development, especially if the technology can give the fibres a long life span and be produced at much lower cost than the current yarn,” Prof Bernard Odhiambo Aduda of the University of Nairobi told the Nation on Monday.

He said although Kenya had not done much work on nanotechnology, it is the science of the future where materials can be manipulated at very minute levels.

Unique properties

“At this scale, about a billionth of a metre the materials possess some unique properties that are being exploited to make new products,” he said.

According to the head of the Institute of Primate Research — one of the few institutions in Kenya involved in nanotechnology — Dr Thomas Kariuki, this is an exciting development in the fight against malaria.

“We are happy to see more Kenyans get involved in this new science especially to solve local problems,” said Dr Kariuki said on Monday.

He said these new “nano-charged bed nets” or fabrics could find widespread use especially in children clothing that would be really significant as malaria is primarily a killer of children.

“The other exciting bit about this is that it provides an opportunity to translate the science of nanotechnology from the labs to become part of everyday applications, implying that this new science is coming of age.”

The costume on the catwalk was a one-piece body suit, hand-dyed in vibrant hues of purple, gold and blue, and a mesh hood and cape containing the repellent.

“Seeing malaria affect many people in Kenya, it’s important for me to apply fibre science to help this problem,” Dr Ochanda says. “A long-term goal of science is to be able to come up with solutions to help protect human life, so this project is very fulfilling for me.”

Dr Ochanda says further improvements on their prototype are being contemplated that will allow the fabric to releases the repellent in response to changes in temperature or light, offering wearers more protection at night when mosquitoes are on the hunt.

At the minimum, Dr Ochanda hopes the technology can be applied to create longer-lasting insecticide-laden bed nets.

Dr Ochanda is involved in other futuristic projects like the manipulating of cotton into high-tech electronic devices which include “smart clothing” and others which can protect the military against harmful chemicals.

According to The Ithacan, a weekly online publication of the Ithaca College in the US, the cotton team is working on projects sponsored by the US Department of Defence to find how to protect soldiers from dangerous chemicals and gases.

Source: A24 Media