an absorbent , highly wettable , bioactive , dyed fabric useful as a surgical drape , dressing or the like is disclosed composed of a non - cellulosic substrate having incorporated on it a non - leachable bioactive silicone quaternary amine , a hydrophilic organosilicone terpolymer and a direct dye . the fabric is used to isolate a surgical incision site and provides an absorbent antimicrobial field to destroy migrating and cross - contaminating bacteria , fungi and algae . procedures for producing the fabric are also disclosed .