Amicor Pure provides a healthy sanctuary from allergens night after night.
Gentle and effective, Amicor Pure bedding products have been designed scientifically to create a better sleeping environment for those with house dust mite allergy..... and for those who look after their own health and their childrens'.
This page is to explain how Amicor Pure works, how we have tested the product and the endorsements that we have received. A full list of manufacturers and brands can be found in the 'Suppliers' section.
Amicor Pure - the healthy sleeping environment
Amicor Pure blends beautifully inside pillows, quilts, mattress protectors, blankets, bedlinen and covers, mattresses, beds, filling and ticking.
How does Amicor Pure prevent allergens in bedding?
While we sleep we shed skin flakes into the bed. Because it is warm and humid for the time that we sleep, this provides the ideal environment for the fungi, aspergillus repens, to take hold of these skin flakes and turn them into a nutritious form for the dust mite. By preventing the growth of the fungi, the skin flakes remain too dry for the dust mite to eat and simply turn to dust. As the food source is not there, the mites cannot live and breed inside bedding. Amicor Pure does not affect the mites at all, it is not a harmful pesticide and does not kill.
Amicor Pure's preventative effect will last through repeated washing and use. In fact, it will last as long as the normal lifetime of the product.
For the illustrated story on the mites' life cycle in beds please click on 'life cycle' on the right hand column.
Who is Amicor Pure for?
Our modern homes with central heating, en-suite bathrooms and double glazing are thought to be encouraging the mite population in our homes. The modern, luxury home that we live in could actually be harming our health!
Babies of six months
Babies are particularly vulnerable to dust mite allergens at the age of six months because this is the point where the immune system that they inherited from their mother is at its' lowest, before thier own immune system begins to develop fully.
Doctors consider this to be one stage where babies are vulnerable to the house dust mite allergen and could become sensitised. After six months, there could easily be enough mites inside a baby mattress to cause sensitivity. Amicor Pure prevents allergens at source and will provide a safe place for babies to sleep during this sensitive time.
Children
1 in 5 children (in the UK) are now diagnosed with asthma or allergic rhinitis. The causes of this are becoming more complex and there is no single cause.
The house dust mite is thought to affect 80% of sufferers so is still considered to be the major cause of indoor allergies. Pets and smoking make the situation worse. After six months, the average child's bed will harbour a colony of mites producing an amount of air bourne allergens that is way above World Health Organisation recommendations. Amicor Pure provides a healthier sleeping environment that takes away this risk by preventing allergens and provides peace of mind at night time.
Adults
Recent statistics indicate that adults are now becoming sensitised at any age - so asthma is not just a problem for children, but for people of all ages.
Allergen sufferers
For those who are already sensitised, Amicor Pure will significantly reduce exposure to house dust mite allergens while you sleep. Unfortunately, Amicor Pure will not provide protection from outdoor allergens such as pollen or polution, but it will provide a healthy sanctuary from allergens night after night.
If you adopt the whole Amicor Pure healthy sleep environment
Three levels of Scientific Research
There are many bedding fibres and finishes that claim to prevent the house dust mite. We believe that Amicor Pure is the leading product and have invested in a continuous reseach programme to provide scientific evidence for our product claims. This is a summary of the research so far.
1 Prevention of fungi and dust mites
We commissioned research with Cambridge Entymology into the effectiveness of Amicor Pure in commercial blends and their effectivness at controlling the growth of dust mites compared with normal bedding without Amicor Pure. This study is a replica of what happens in real life and in a typical home. It is the anti-fungal additive inside Amicor Pure that is effective against the growth of mites nad that is what we put to the test here.
2 Prevention of allergens
Cambridge Entymology then went on to measure air borne allergens with and without Amicor Pure, as this is the real measure of how effective Amicor Pure is at providing a healthier sleep environment. The World Health Organisation have issues guidelines into the levels of air borne allergens that will 1. cause sensitisation and 2. trigger an asthma attack. Amicor Pure keeps allergens to well below both of these levels.
3 Clinical trials - Prevention of allergens reduces symptoms and increases wellbeing
The first two clinical trials were carried out by two allerology specialists at the Red Cross Hospital in Barcelona. These trials prove three things. Firstly, that after a three week period 48 of the 50 patients began to feel an improvement in their every day symptoms. Secondly, that by monitoring each patients' health the doctors felt able to reduce the medication prescribed to these patients. Thirdly, that Amicor Pure bedding is still effective after eighteen months and that the health improvements shown were not simply because patients had new bedding. Those patients with placebo bedding not containing Amicor Pure did not show the same health improvements during the trial period.
Additional Benefits - the doctors also reported that their patients were very happy about the softness and comfort of Amicor Pure bedding which made a change from the crackly and noisy bedding they had often used before.
Copies of our research reports are available on request.
Please note: Amicor Pure is not a medication and will not cure - it is a complementary product designed to support the healthcare regime presribed by your doctor. It simply provides an allergen-controlled environment to sleep in. Please always follow the individual advice given to you by your doctor.
Consumer Information
What does Amicor Pure feel like?
Amicor Pure is the fibre that goes inside your bedding. It is blended in with all the normal materials. It is a fibre, that is soft and bouncy inside pillows and quilts... and feels smooth to the touch for blankets and bedlinen.
Gentle, safe and soft
Amicor Pure has been tested for skin safety in a trial that compared it alongside polyester and 100% cotton. Amicor Pure actually measured 'less of an irritant than the 100% cotton'. Doctors agree, sleeping in an environment that prevents allergens at source will help to prevent sensitisation for people of all ages and provide an enhanced sleep environment for those who already suffer.
Does Amicor Pure wear out?
Amicor Pure's effect in beds and bedding will last for up to 200 washes. You are more likely to replace bedding items before the effect has been washed out. In many cases, Amicor Pure products can be washed to keep them clean and fresh. Please see the care label on the products that you choose.
Consumer Endorsements
Don't just take our word for it. We have sought independent approval for Amicor Pure products to give consumer assurance in the quality of the brand.
Allergy UK 'Seal of Approval', Red Cross Hospital, Barcelona, Oekotex 'White list' accreditation.
Please click on the pop-ups on the right to see the endorsements
Recommended Web Sites
The British Allergy Foundation offer information and advice to cosnumers and healthcare professionals into all areas of allergy. On this site you can also find other companies with the 'Seal of Approval' for consumer products. Allergy UK is a charity that raises funds for research, healthcare training and provides a consumer help line that is staffed by allergy and asthma experts. Go to www.allergyuk.com
The National Asthma Campaign provides excellent information on the subject of asthma, with good advice for consumers. Go to www.asthmauk.org
Oekotex is the leading independent testing and certification programme for ecological textiles. Based in Germany, many reputable testing houses carry out their tests to ensure the ecological status of individual products. Well known by the textile industry, the Oekotex label will become more and more important for consumers looking for safe products to buy. Go to www.oekotex.com
Contact Us
For further information on Amicor Pure please contact
Ashwini Chotani. Email:
amicor.taf@adityabirla.com
Disclaimer: Amicor Pure Products
Protection form the incorporated anti-microbial preservative is provided for the fibre and fabric only. Amicor Pure products do not protect the users or others against bacteria, viruses, germs or other disease organisms. Skin testing is considerd to be for the general public.
