Technical Textiles – Protective Clothing

Increasing global competition in textiles has created many challenges for textile researchers and industrialists. The rapid growth in technical textiles and their end-uses has generated many opportunities for the application of innovative finishers. The population explosion and the environmental pollution in recent years have forced researchers to find new health and hygiene related products for the wellbeing of mankind. The threats caused by microbes are numerous and the problem is aggravated even more in tropical and subtropical regions. Pathogenic microorganisms transfer infectious diseases and cause lung related disorders. Today, much is talked about ‘prevention is better than cure’ using natural and artificial wearing suitable clothing. Recently, there has been upsurge interest in apparel technology all over the world for much demanding functionality of the products like wrinkle resistance, water repelling, fade resistance and resistance to microbial invasion. Among these, development of antimicrobial textile finish is highly indispensable and relevant since garments are in direct contact with human body. This paper deals with the application of natural oils and their antimicrobial property.