But it turns out that fighting viruses is just one application for the company’s technology.
“The technology can be applied to any kind of fabric, and this fabric can be sewn into any kind of product,” Roy Hirsch, Sonovia’s head of business and development, told The Jerusalem Post. “This means sportswear, activewear, loungewear, automotive fabrics and more.”
Delta is a global manufacturer and marketer of branded private-label apparel products for both genders and all ages.
“Under the agreement, Sonovia and its machinery manufacturing partner, Brückner Textile Machinery, will install an ultrasonic fabric-finishing applicator at Delta Galil’s innovation center in Karmiel, Israel, to pilot the application of new, eco-responsible fabric finishes offering antimicrobial protection and other long-lasting benefits to leading global brands that are Delta Galil customers,” both companies said in a press release
“This partnership enables us to take another step toward fully sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturing,” said Gil Shimon, president of Delta’s Global Upper Markets Division, which caters to big-name companies such as Schiesser, Eminence and Athena, Wilson, Spalding, Columbia and Tommy Hilfiger.
Delta will be able to offer the fabric to its international customers, and they and others will also be able to ask for it. After six months or so of research and development, the fabrics hopefully will be ready to be sold by 2022, Hirsch said.
Delta will be able to provide sustainable sportswear that prevents odor, said Shay Hershkovitz, Sonovia’s COO.
“What causes odors? Bacteria,” he said. “When you kill the bacteria, you also kill the odor.”
Sonovia is actively engaged in dialogue with a top bedding company and a tier-1 automotive upholstery company, Hershkovitz said.
In January 2020, Sonovia was just an Israeli start-up with a dream. Its technology is based on a lab-scale sonochemical process that was developed at Bar-Ilan University.
Sonovia started manufacturing its product in March 2020 at a plant near Nahariya when Israel had only 200 coronavirus patients. Since then, it developed two top-performing applications – the antiviral application and a spray test rating 100 PFC-free durable water-repellent application.
The company recently hired a new CEO, and now it is a commercial business with international success.
This deal with Delta is Sonovia’s next big move, Hirsch said.
“This strategic agreement with Delta Galil constitutes a vote of confidence in Sonovia’s eco-friendly, performance fabric-finishing technology,” said Shuki Herchcovici, chairman of Sonovia. “I have no doubt that this relationship will yield outstanding results for both companies, and I look forward to a long and successful partnership that will support more responsible, sustainable production for many brands.”