Developments in the science and technology of textiles are not only limited to apparel and fashion. Certainly, there are research efforts aimed at improving the construction and processing of textiles for clothing—such as studies on cleaner production to reduce environmental impact, increasing the utilization of fibers and process chemicals from renewable resources, and on the recycling of materials from post-consumer waste apparel back into the manufacturing of new clothing articles. In addition, technological concepts developed for the creation of clothing over the centuries are now being investigated for use in a diverse array of fields—such as in the manufacture of engineering composites, personal protective equipment, and medicine. Further, developments in other fields—such as electronics, nanotechnology, and information and communication technologies—are being investigated for their incorporation into apparel and clothing to create “smart textiles”. The aim of this Special Issue is to put together a collection of scientific reports on such efforts to highlight the range of scientific and technological issues that are being targeted and the ingenuity of the methodologies employed to find answers. It is hoped that readers of this issue will come away with an appreciation of the research being conducted in this area, and perhaps gain inspiration for their own scientific endeavors.

Advanced Textile Engineering Materials is written to educate readers about the use of advanced materials in various textile applications. In the first part, the book addresses recent advances in chemical finishing, and also highlights environmental issues in textile sectors. In the second part, the book provides a compilation of innovative fabrication strategies frequently adopted for the mechanical finishing of textiles. The key topics are • Smart textiles • Functional modifications • Protective textiles • Conductive textiles • Coated/laminated textiles • Antimicrobial textiles • Environmental aspects in textiles • Textile materials in composites • 3-D woven preforms for composite reinforcement • Evolution of soft body armor

The book “Frontiers and Textile Materials will deal with the important materials that can be utilized for value-addition and functionalization of textile materials. The topics covered in this book includes the materials like enzymes, polymers, etc. that are utilized for conventional textile processing and the advanced materials like nanoparticles which are expected to change the horizons of textiles. The futuristic techniques for textile processing like plasma are also discussed.

The research field of smart textiles is currently witnessinga rapidly growing number of applicationsintegrating intelligent functions in textile substrates.With an increasing amount of new developed productprototypes, the number of materials used and that ofspecially designed production technologies are alsogrowing.This book is intended to provide an overview of materials,production technologies, and product conceptsto different groups concerned with smart textiles. Itwill help designers to understand the possibilities ofsmart textile production, so that they are enabled todesign this type of products. It will also help textileand electronics manufacturers to understand whichproduction technologies are suitable to meet certainproduct requirements.After an introduction to smart textiles and their marketrelevance, different material types for functionaltextiles are described along with their properties,application areas, and product examples. Specialattention is given to materials for the realization ofelectrical conductivity in textiles, as these are crucialfor the following overview on sensor and productiontechnologies. Next, textile-based sensors areintroduced. While numerous textile-based sensors,ranging from sensing fibers to coatings and three-dimensionalstructures, have been developed, theirspecific properties and usage are not clear. Bosowskiet al. have suggested a structure for a classified catalogueas knowledge basis to support the smart textileproduct development process. This chapter developsthe classification further and implements it in a catalogueto be used by practitioners from research andindustry when developing and designing textiles withsensing capabilities. The full catalogue is reported inthe appendix. The third part of the book starts by describingthe state of the art of research on productiontechnologies for the integration of conductive materialsinto textile substrates, which include weaving,knitting, embroidering, printing, without mentioningspecific products. Different variants of each technologyare presented. Additionally, associated technologiesto integrate electrical components in textile substratesare outlined. This part closes by reporting thecurrent state of research on automated productionsystems for electronics integration into textiles. In thelast part of the book, product and design conceptsfor smart textiles are evaluated along the example oftouchpads.

Volume is indexed by Thomson Reuters CPCI-S (WoS) This book, comprising internationally peer-reviewed papers, covers the subject areas of natural fibers, chemical fibers, fiber manufacturing technology, principles of textile design, structure, properties and processing of textile materials, measurement technology and instrumentation, non-woven materials, structure, properties and processing of non-woven materials, coloration technology, finishing technology, pollution control and treatment of dyeing and finishing, materials and their applications, materials processing technologies and other related topics. The volume will be of interest to anyone working in these fields.

Advances in Functional and Protective Textiles explores the latest research in the use of textile materials for protective clothing. The book’s international roster of researchers in industry and academia describe innovative applications in defense, medical, sports, fire protection, radiation protection, and more. This book is an invaluable resource for readers seeking to produce textiles with self-cleaning, antimicrobial, super-hydrophobic, UV-protective, insect repellant, flame retardant or anti-felting properties. Particular attention is given to textile fibers, including cotton, wool, viscose, and other synthetic fibers whose properties solve many problems. Sustainable approaches to the processing of textiles for protective properties are also addressed, as are hazards. Introduces the advanced testing and modeling methods that are necessary for the production of protective textiles Describes the properties of the latest advanced chemicals and materials used to make protective textiles and clothing Covers every step in the development of protective clothing, from the engineering of novel materials, to advanced fabrication methodologies and applications