We　report　a　strategy　to　prepare　an　antimicrobial　fabric　coated　with　two　layers　of　antibiotic　agents,　each　with　different　antimicrobial　mechanisms.　The　bottom　layer　is　ε-polylysine　which　uses　its　positive　charge　to　disrupt　bacterial　membrane,　but　shows　only　limited　antimicrobial　efficacy.　The　second　layer　is　a　photosensitizer　(zinc　phthalocyanine)　which　uses　a　photodynamic　antimicrobial　mechanism　and　can　inactivate　microorganisms　by　singlet　oxygen　or　redox　oxygen　species.　The　surface-modified　fabric　was　shown　to　be　stable,　durable,　and　washable.　We　found　that　such　composite　fabric　demonstrates　potent　antimicrobial　property　to　both　Gram-positive　and　-negative　bacterial　strains,　reducing　the　survival　of　E. coli　or　S. aureus　by　99%　and　98%,　respectively.　Importantly,　the　fabric　also　kills　drug　resistant　bacterial　strain　(MRSA).　At　molecular　level,　we　found　that　conjugated　photosensitizer　exists　in　both　monomeric　and　aggregate　forms,　the　former　accounts　for　its　antimicrobial　efficacy　while　the　latter　is　responsible　for　the　photo　stability　of　the　fabric.　Thus,　this　strategy　of　using　antimicrobial　agents　with　two　orthogonal　mechanisms　can　be　used　to　develop　antimicrobial　materials.　©　2017　Elsevier　Ltd