Nano-engineered functional textiles are going to revolutionize the clothing that you’ll wear. The potential of nanotechnology in development of new materials in the textile industry is considerable. This novel technology can give rise to incredible clothing such as water-resistant and dirt-free clothes, odorless socks, and intelligent clothes that can perform climate control for you.

A first generation of nano enhanced textiles benefitted from Nano Finishing: Coating the surface of textiles and clothing with nanoparticles is an approach to the production of highly active surfaces to have UV blocking, flame retardant, antimicrobial, antistatic, water and oil repellent, wrinkle resistant, abrasion, stain repellent, odor resistance and self cleaning.

The field of Nano Finishing in textile is very promising due to various end uses like protective textiles for soldiers, medical textiles and smart textile.

Antimicrobial properties are exerted by Nano-Silver, UV blocking, Self Cleaning and flame retardant properties are imparted by nano-metal oxide coatings. Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles embedded in polymer matrices are good example of functional nanostructures with potential for applications such as UV protection ability in textiles and sunscreens, and antibacterial finishes in medical textiles and inner wears.

Nowadays, temperature, humidity and pressure sensors have been incorporated in textiles. In future, microfluidics can be incorporated in thread- based channels for application in point-of-care diagnostics. Combined with LEDs these textiles can give visual sensing information. Combined with drug loaded nanoparticles, textile fibers could provide programmable release of therapeutic drugs.