Textiles

Consumer products - Textiles - About the sector

According to the NACE, there are multiple textiles applications including wearing apparel (e.g., workwear, outwear – i.e., coats, suits, jackets, etc., underwear, and accessories) and textiles used for industrial and technical processes (e.g., manufacture of conveyor belts).1,2 However, in terms of consumer goods, textiles are usually associated with wearing apparel and household textile products (e.g., blankets, rugs, etc.). 

Nanotechnology is increasingly used in textiles. Via nanotechnology and the use of nanomaterials, textiles can, for instance, be stronger, stain and water repellent, wrinkle-free, anti-static, antibacterial, odour eliminating, UV-blocking and electrically conducting. Applications of nanomaterials also includes the use of sensors and connected garments that can sense and respond to external stimuli via electrical, colour, or physiological signals. Sensing and drug release in textiles is also be researched. Sometimes, these kinds of applications of nanomaterials in textiles are termed intelligent clothing or smart textiles. An interesting example of application of nanomaterials in textiles are swimming suits which include a plasma layer enhanced by nanotechnology to repel water molecules allows sportsmen to glide through the water. Such suits are often used by the Olympic swimmers to enhance the results of the competition.3,4  

Nanomaterials used in textiles include Au, TiO2, ZnO, SiO2, carbon black, CNTs, Ru and nanosilver, as well as clay nanoparticles, nano cellular foam and nanostructured polymers. Nanotextiles are prepared through implanting nanoparticles into ordinary fibres. The most known approach for water and strain repellence in the textile field are nano finishing, also called nanocoating. Nanoparticles can also be bond to the fibre surface of the textiles themselves or electro spun into nanofibres.5,6

 

 


NACE (2022). 13 – Manufacture of textiles. Available at: https://nacev2.com/en/activity/manufacture-of-textiles 

NACE (2022b). 14 – Manufacture of wearing apparel. Available at: https://nacev2.com/en/activity/manufacture-of-wearing-apparel  

Fibre2Fashion (n. d.). Application of Nanotechnology in Textile Industry. Available at: https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/7135/application-of-nanotechnology-in-textile-industry 

Fibre2Fashion (n. d.). Available at: https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/7135/application-of-nanotechnology-in-textile-industry 

Yetisen, A. K., Qu, H., Manbachi, A., Butt, H., Dokmeci, M. R., Hinestroza J. P., Skorobogaity, M., Khademhosseini, A., & Yun, S. H. (2016). Nanotechnology in textiles. ACS Nano, 10(3), 3042−3068.

Nanowerk. (2010). Nanotechnology textiles. Available at: https://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=19451.php