"Fibres with atomic coatings will turn the textile industry upside down," predicts Frank Verhage, CEO of the Dutch technology start-up SALD BV (Eindhoven). The company name stands for "Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition" (SALD) and refers to a process for applying atom-thin layers to fibres, for example. By applying several layers on top of each other made of different substances that enter into controlled chemical reactions, properties can be created that are "completely crazy" (Frank Verhage). The SALD boss speaks of a "textile revolution", comparable to the invention of synthetic fibres or synthetic dyes since the mid-19th century.