Vampires are supposed to be fictional, scary undead beings from folklore. The sad truth is that almost 70 percent of hotels and motels across the country are infected with bloodsucking beings that are very real: bedbugs. An even scarier statistic? Bedbug infestations are increasing at a terrifying rate and show few signs of slowing down. Travelers have the most to fear, as bedbugs seem to love hunkering down in hotels, infiltrating not just beds, but drapery, carpets, and other textiles. They’ve also been found in couches, bed frames, stuffed animals, and even bedside lamps. Lacking all the romanticism conjured by Brad Pitt’s character Louis in the film Interview with the Vampire, bedbugs do come out at night intent on biting and feasting on your blood. https://youtu.be/FJw3g_bxaus Hotels and motels aren’t the only places that bedbugs have been found. Single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, nursing homes, schools and daycares, offices, college dorms, hospitals, and public transit agencies have all reported cases of bedbug infestations in high numbers in the last year. The alarming thing for frequent travelers is that it doesn’t matter if a hotel boasts one star or five: bed bugs do not discriminate, nor do they have a preference for cleanliness or prestige. Paying more money won’t guarantee you a bedbug-free trip. Bedbugs also can’t be caught. They love to travel, just like you do, and often hitch rides to your next destination via your luggage or clothes. But the news isn’t all bad. A textile company has almost accidentally happened upon a tried-and-true killer of bedbugs. Layer One Industries is the exclusive licensee of ArthroShield, a patent-pending fabric technology that is bringing an insecticide into the world of textiles. The element used in ArthroShield is pesticide free, safe for human and pets, EPA tested, and studied around the globe. It’s mechanical and adheres to fabric, and is an all-natural compound that kills bedbugs. Currently, Layer One offers four products. Consumers can purchase box spring encasements or mattress encasements, as well as a portable spray bottle that can be used on any fabric surface. The fourth product is the ArthroPad that is used as a barrier between the box spring and the mattress. The Layer One ArthroPad was designed by an entomologist, and replicates the feel of human skin to a bed bug. I know—gross. But where we see holes, bed bugs see an easy path to bore and travel through. When they do, death awaits them. While Layer One Technologies will take care of the beds across America that are infested with these disgusting, tiny vampires, ArthroShield can take care of the upholstery and drapery so that every traveler will be safe and secure. With ArthroShield, hotels and travelers alike can be proactive, taking preventive measures with the purchase of one or all of these products. It’s a technology that the hotel and hospitality markets should roll out the red carpet for—provided that the carpet is covered with ArthroShield. While just reading about bedbugs is enough to make your skin crawl, no one should have to suffer through one of their devastating infestations, which can result in real and horrifying bites all over the body. Until every industry around the world has embraced this fascinating new technology, protect yourself by investing in Layer One Technologies and ArthroShield’s products. It can make the difference between a night watching Interview with the Vampireand a night living out that horror story in a very real way. Visit layeroneindustries.com for more information.