PORTUGUESE TEXTILES GIVE HEALTH IN DÜSSELDORF

From November 17th to 20th, Portuguese companies Biodevices and Tricela (Grupo Endutex) are at the major european trade fair dedicated to health sector and medical care – Medica Düsseldorf – to show the most recent textile innovations that are going to improve Europeans’ health.

At the international trade fair, which comprises several conferences and the presence of 4.400 exhibitors from 60 countries, in areas as electromedicine/medical technology, laboratory technology/diagnostics, physiotherapy/orthopaedics, medicinal products, information and communication technology, textiles, medical furniture and facility management, and which anticipates the visit of more than 137,000 professionals, counts with two Portuguese companies of the textile area, that are at Düsseldorf in an initiative of Associação Selectiva Moda, with the support of EU funds (Qren).

Biodevices returns to the German city and to this trade fair to introduce Vital Jacket, the t-shirt that allows the continuous ECG measure with high definition through a non-invasive system. This t-shirt, which was offered to Pope Benedict XVI in his last visit to Portugal and earned the attention of the German media at 2009 Medica’s edition, has now different versions: for men, women and children.

Tricela (Grupo Endutex), on its side, shows in this edition of Medica its line of products for the hospital sector, Tex4Care. This range of products, which enhances, among others, coated textiles and non textiles, anti allergens and waterproof, was specifically developed for hospitals and geriatric units, offering mattress protections, pillows, bibs, dippers, blankets and other products. This line also includes a flame retardant version and it is tested to be in contact with skin, blood and urine.  «We are also going to present some synthetic leather in PVC, very used to lining wheelchairs and other medical equipments», underlines Diana Marques, from Tricela’s sales department.

The presence of the Portuguese companies integrated in the project Technical Textiles From Portugal at Medica Düsseldorf is included in a wide programme that Associação Selectiva Moda, an organization held by ATP - Associação Têxtil e Vestuário de Portugal and ANIL - Associação Nacional das Indústrias de Lanifícios, is promoting this year, with the main goal of strengthen the internationalization strategy of the Portuguese textile and apparel industry. For 2011, the international actions’ programme is already approved and comprises a new participation of the Portuguese companies at Medica Düsseldorf.