Substrates that exhibit antimicrobial and/or antifungal characteristics that persist through the useful life of the substrate, and more particularly textile substrates infused with or covalently bound to well-dispersed antimicrobial nanoparticles, such as silver and/or copper nanoparticles, which exhibit persistent and demonstrable bacteriocidal, bacteriostatic, fungicidal, fungistatic behavior through numerous wash cycles. Methods of manufacturing such substrates are also provided.