In Seattle, a textile company is working on an anti-microbial coating that will give clothing lifetime protection against bacteria and micro-organisms that cause odour. The permanent fresh treatment is similar to permapress. When the coating starts to fade, it can be restored to 100 per cent effectiveness with a special chlorine solution, they say.

The first "permanent fresh" socks, underwear, and other garments that stay body odor-free for days without laundering are headed for department store shelves, thanks to a major advance in textile technology reported yesterday.

Just as permanent-press fabrics incorporate a chemical coating to reduce wrinkling, their permanent fresh counterparts have an antimicrobial, or self-sanitizing, coating that prevents growth of bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms.