The advantage of the ÆGIS Microbe Shield® trademark
Quality The “Protected by The ÆGIS
Microbe Shield®” logo is recognized on
Assurance labels of major brand name manufactur-
ers of socks, sporting equipment,
Program undergarments, clean room environ-
ments, building products, medical goods
and numerous other consumer goods.
Using the “Protected by The ÆGIS
Microbe Shield” on your product
labeling gives your customer verification
of quality that’s missing when you simply
refer to a generic antimicrobial benefit or
ÆGIS Means create a name for the feature.
The ÆGIS Microbe Shield trade-
Solutions mark is granted exclusively to manufac-
turers who properly treat their products
with the ÆGIS Microbe Shield technol-
ogy. Following the ÆGIS Microbe Shield
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
Programs, this mark is provided to
retailers as their assurance that a
product has been properly treated. We
offer a standard quality assurance
standard as outlined here, or we will
The mark of work to customize your own standards
quality, durability according to your specifications.
ÆGIS Environments offers design
& excellence. assistance to create a unique product tag
or will work in adapting a current tag
using the ÆGIS Microbe Shield trade-
mark/logo. Standard ÆGIS Microbe
Shield hang tags are available in limited
quantities.
Why is the Quality Assurance Program
important and what are the benefits?
It is important to ensure all treated
substrates that bear the ÆGIS trademark
or logo pass all Quality Assurance
standards of the Program. Adherance to
a QA Program will enhance your
credibility and show a high degree of
diligence to your customer. It assures the
manufacturing facility of proper and cost
effective treatment. This assurance of
proper treatment and desired perfor-
mance will prevent product loss and
customer dissatisfaction associated with
microbial problems.
MINIMUM RECOMMENDED IDENTIFICATION:
Antimicrobial Finish: AEM 5700 Antimicrobial,
EPA #64881-1, ÆGIS Environments, Midland, MI, USA
Treated with AEM 5700 Antimicrobial, EPA #64881-1,
ÆGIS Environments, Midland, MI, USA
Other benefits of the ÆGIS Microbe
Shield QA Program include:
• Assures proper use of ÆGIS Microbe
Shield technology
• Increases market share and provides
higher profit margins
• Maintains the credible, high value of
the ÆGIS Microbe Shield label
• Creates trust between buyer and seller
• Provides product differentiation,
assures the quality of the technology by
name, and promotes increased demand
• Provides proven technology, quality
assurance, and support data that
protects your company
Bromophenol Blue (BPB) binding
assays.
A unique feature of the ÆGIS
Microbe Shield technology is the
Bromophenol Blue binding assays. This
takes only a few minutes and a sink to
verify proper application of the ÆGIS
Microbe Shield technology during
production. Also, a buyer can use this
assay to see the otherwise invisible
antimicrobial feature at work on the
products they offer.
The BPB binding assays, both direct
stain and extraction, are a quick,
qualitative and quantitative color test
which visually indicates the presence of
the ÆGIS Microbe Shield technology. It
verifies that a particular
production lot has been properly treated
and the ÆGIS Microbe Shield technol-
ogy is present. The blue scale used is
customized in the qualification process
(step one) and is based on the product,
process, and intended end-use claims. It
also verifies the uniformity of a specific
treatment. Our customer will be pro-
vided instructions required to perform
this simple test at the mill or at the retail
location.
BPB Test at Manufacturer
The applicator is required to
perform the Bromophenol Blue (BPB)
binding assay on each production lot of
antimicrobially treated material. A
simple record of these BPB tests on
production lots will be maintained and
available for an ÆGIS review upon
request. Additionally, run sheets will
indicate the source of the AEM 5700/
5772 by lot number and handling
method (concentrate, diluted material,
etc.)

Quality Assurance Program Standards
A Quality Assurance Program
Step One: assures that application is at correct and
at cost effective levels. The quality
Qualification assurance standards for the ÆGIS
Microbe Shield Program are product
specific and developed in close commu-
Step Two: nication with the customer. Focusing on
the products, processes, claims, and end-
Property Rights uses provide the minimum criteria that a
sample has to reach to be able to claim
Agreement “Protected by The ÆGIS Microbe
Shield”. Qualification plant runs are
made after required laboratory testing.
Step Three: These qualification runs provide a basis
for establishing specific quality assurance
Submit Samples criteria for the customer.
Each sample will be analyzed by the
appropriate test methods and include
Step Four: consistent compliance under the follow-
ing test parameters:
Verification & • The antimicrobial activity: Production
Analysis samples must achieve a pre-agreed
upon reduction of Escherichia coli
(70% to 99.99%) under specific testing
Step Five: conditions using the ASTM E2149-01
(dynamic shake flask) method or other
Certification industry appropriate ÆGIS corporate
test methods.
• The uniformity and level of the
treatment: Every part of the sample
must be treated at the qualified levels.
The uniformity and treatment level
must be checked by the Bromophenol
Blue (BPB) direct stain and extraction
assay or other industry appropriate test
methods.
Step One: Product Qualification
ÆGIS Laboratories International or
an ÆGIS Certified Laboratory, performs
product qualification tests. This allows
ÆGIS to develop and establish quality
assurance criteria that satisfy the claims
and standards specific to each customer.
Step Two: Property Rights Agreement
A trademark license is signed by
ÆGIS Environments and by the cus-
tomer. This agreement grants a personal,
nonexclusive license to use the trade-
mark, subject to quality assurance and
usage requirements.
Step Three: Submit Treated Samples
To insure success of the ÆGIS
Microbe Shield treatment, samples of
each treated product must be submitted
for verification. The customer will
submit a minimum of 10 gram of a
treated sample and one control (un-
treated) sample to the ÆGIS laboratory
quarterly accompanied by the Sample
Evaluation Request (Form 6A10).
Failure to submit samples for testing will
terminate the ability to use the ÆGIS
trademark or name.
After you have completed your
production manufacturing trials specific
to Quality Assurance testing, the Sample
Evaluation Request is to be submitted
with samples. It is necessary to submit
one treated sample and one untreated
sample that will be used as a control.
Submit 10 grams (minimum) of each
sample to the laboratory at ÆGIS
Environments. The Sample Evaluation
Request form is to be submitted with the
retailer and/or brand name included for
our records.
Step Four: Verification, Testing &
Analysis
Submitted samples will be analyzed
using appropriate industry test methods
as outlined by the QA criteria. These
test methods include ASTM E2149-01,
which verifies the antimicrobial activity
of the sample, and BPB direct stain and
extraction assays, which confirm unifor-
mity and intensity of treatment. Based
on the substrate or product, the sample
must pass these test methods after five
(5) washings. The samples will be
classified as pass or fail according to the
pre-established criteria. ÆGIS Labora-
tories will provide written notification of
results to customer within two weeks of
receiving the samples. The customer
will have 30 days to take corrective
actions, if required. Not taking correc-
tive action will revoke the rights to use
the ÆGIS trademark or name.
Step Five: Certification
After successfully passing the
Quality Assurance standards and criteria
as established by ÆGIS Environments, a
Certification will be awarded yearly to
the qualifying location. This Certifica-
tion is available to provide a written
record of compliance with the Quality
Control/Quality Assurance Program.
ÆGIS Environments
2205 Ridgewood Drive · Midland, MI 48642 USA
(989) 832-8180 · Fax (989) 832-7572
www.aegismicrobeshield.com
Form 4G6 Rev. 052007