Swine Flu Fashion? Japan Introduces Swine Flu-Proof Suit

Swine flu season is raging, but there are ways to protect yourself: Get the swine flu vaccine, wash your hands, wear a mask over your nose and mouth…or buy a suit designed to protect against the flu. After a year of designing and testing, Haruyama Trading Co. is now selling a line of 50,000 "swine-flu-proof suits" at $580 a piece. The suit is coated in titanium dioxide (a chemical used in toothpaste and cosmetics). The idea behind it is simple: When the virus lands on your clothing and is hit by light, the coating will kill any virus particles. (Titanium dioxide behaves like a photocatalyst, which needs light before it can destroy a virus.) The company claims the suit can still flight the flu even after it has gone through the wash. We’re not sure how the suit is selling so far, but we do know that swine flu is spreading in Japan: 18 people have died so far and 23,275 cases of flu have been reported. Related Content: DISCOVER: Swine Flu Was a Warning Shot Discoblog: Swine Flu v. Idiocy: Inmates Drink Anti-Flu Gel to Get Drunk Discoblog: Gupta Gets Swine Flu, Blogs About It Discoblog: Fuzzy, Cuddly Swine Flu: The Next Big Holiday Toy?Image: iStockPhoto