Microplastics have become one of the most serious environmental hazards today, raising fears that concentrations will continue to rise even further in the near future. Micro/nanoparticles are formed when plastic breaks down into tiny fragments due to mechanical or photochemical processes. Microplastics are everywhere, and they have a strong tendency to interact with the ecosystem, putting biogenic fauna and flora at risk. Polyester (PET) and polyamide (PA) are two of the most important synthetic fibres, accounting for about 60% of the total world fibre production. Synthetic fabrics are now widely used for clothing, carpets, and a variety of other products. During the manufacturing or cleaning process, synthetic textiles have the potential to release microplastics into the environment. The focus of this paper is to explore the main potential sources of microplastic pollution in the environment, providing an overview of washable polyester materials.

Proban^® is a multiphase treatment of cotton fabrics based on the formation of pre-condensates using the flame retardant (FR) agent tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium salts (THPx). The assessment of the durability of a product demands a preliminary understanding of how relevant it is to extend its lifetime. It is therefore important to minimize the risk of agents impacting: (1) the protection level, (2) shape and dimensions, and (3) additional comfort characteristics of the fabric. This research focused on the impact of washing conditions on the durability of FR properties and appearance of Proban^® cotton fabrics, which was systematically arranged through the variation in the chemistry distribution in the Sinner’s circle. The chemical share was varied in laboratory conditions as a simulation of industrial washing based on component dosing, where the temperature, time and mechanical agitation were constant. The washing of cotton fabrics was performed through 10 cycles in four baths containing high alkali components, medium alkali components, high alkali reference detergent and water. The environmental acceptability of washing procedures through effluent analysis was assessed by physico–chemical and organic indicators. The limited oxygen index (LOI), calorimetric parameters (micro combustion calorimetry), thermal stability and evolved gases during thermal decomposition (thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) coupled with an infrared spectrometer (TG–IR)), surface examination (FE-SEM), spectral characteristics and pH of the aqueous extract of the fabrics before and after 10 washing cycles were selected for proof of durability. The medium alkali bath was confirmed as a washing concept for Proban^® cotton fabric through the preservation of FR properties examined through LOI, TGA, TG–IR and MCC parameters and appearance color and low level of fibrillation.

From the textile manufacturers’ point of view, coarse and medullated fibers are undesirable in the production of fine woolen materials, but highly desirable in the production of textiles and yarns with special effects, especially in carpet production. For sustainability, the entire sheep fleece should be used, including the coarse and medullated fibers. The raw wool must be scoured to obtain clean wool fibers without damage or excessive fiber entanglement, with a certain moisture content, low dirt content and residual grease for further processing, and proper color. In order to remove the impurities in raw wool with maximum efficiency, save energy and minimize the environmental impact, this study investigated the changes in some fiber properties during the scouring process due to the effect of the enzyme complex on coarse wool fibers. The effects were studied through the amount of clean wool fibers and impurities within the fleece, the fiber diameter and color. Conventional and enzyme scoured coarse wool were bleached with an unconventional bleaching agent, percarbonate, and compared to bleaching with hydrogen peroxide to achieve higher whiteness and brilliant color with minimal fiber property changes. The changes after the bleaching process were determined based on the sorption of moisture and dyes and the color parameters. The bio-innovative pretreatment with enzyme complex scouring and percarbonate bleaching resulted in excellent fiber properties even for coarse wool. SEM analysis was performed to confirm these results. Taking into account the sustainability of the process and environmental protection, enzyme complex scouring and percarbonate bleaching are recommended as pretreatment processes for raw coarse wool.

In this work, the durability of chitosan functionalization of cellulosic textile substrates, cotton and cotton/polyester blended fabrics, was studied. Chitosan is a naturally occurring biopolymer that can be produced inexpensively. It should be dissolved in an acidic solution to activate its antimicrobial and other properties, i.e., good biocompatibility, bioabsorbability, wound healing, hemostatic, anti-infective, antibacterial, non-toxic, and adsorptive properties. The application of chitosan to textile products has been researched to achieve antimicrobial properties, but the durability, after several maintenance cycles, has not. Chitosan functionalization was carried out using maleic acid (MA) and 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) as crosslinking and chitosan-activating agents and sodium hypophosphite monohydrate as a catalyst. To determine durability, the fabrics were subjected to 10 maintenance cycles according to ISO 6330:2012 using Reference detergent 3 and drying according to Procedure F. The properties were monitored after the 3rd and 10th cycles. The crosslinking ability of chitosan with cellulosic fabrics was monitored by Fourier infrared spectrometry using the ATR technique (FTIR-ATR). Changes in mechanical properties, whiteness and yellowing, and antimicrobial properties were determined using standard methods. Compared to maleic acid, BTCA proved to be a better crosslinking agent for chitosan.

This article investigates the activation of surface groups of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers in woven fabric by hydrolysis and their functionalization with chitosan. Two types of hydrolysis were performed—alkaline and enzymatic. The alkaline hydrolysis was performed in a more sustainable process at reduced temperature and time (80 °C, 10 min) with the addition of the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as an accelerator. The enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using Amano Lipase A from Aspergillus niger (2 g/L enzyme, 60 °C, 60 min, pH 9). The surface of the PET fabric was functionalized with the homogenized gel of biopolymer chitosan using a pad–dry–cure process. The durability of functionalization was tested after the first and tenth washing cycle of a modified industrial washing process according to ISO 15797:2017, in which the temperature was lowered from 75 °C to 50 °C, and ε-(phthalimido) peroxyhexanoic acid (PAP) was used as an environmentally friendly agent for chemical bleaching and disinfection. The influence of the above treatments was analyzed by weight loss, tensile properties, horizontal wicking, the FTIR-ATR technique, zeta potential measurement and SEM micrographs. The results indicate better hydrophilicity and effectiveness of both types of hydrolysis, but enzymatic hydrolysis is more environmentally friendly and favorable. In addition, alkaline hydrolysis led to a 20% reduction in tensile properties, while the action of the enzyme resulted in a change of only 2%. The presence of chitosan on polyester fibers after repeated washing was confirmed on both fabrics by zeta potential and SEM micrographs. However, functionalization with chitosan on the enzymatically bioactivated surface showed better durability after 10 washing cycles than the alkaline-hydrolyzed one. The antibacterial activity of such a bio-innovative modified PET fabric is kept after the first and tenth washing cycles. In addition, applied processes can be easily introduced to any textile factory.

The paper examines the influence of cotton cationization on the print quality in terms of penetration, colour yield and colour depth, which have been analysed in comparison to cotton untreated and pretreated with conventional acrylate binder. The process of cationization during mercerization was performed with a cationizing agent Rewin DWR (CHT Bezema). Standard (non-cationized) and cationized fabric, with and without additional layering of binder have been printed by digital inkjet pigment printing method. Moisture management testing (MMT) and dynamic contact angle measurement (drop shape analyzer–DSA30S) were performed on standard and cationized fabric, with and without binder, both with and without pigment layer. After printing, the objective values of colour depth (K/S) and colour parameters L*, C* and h° were analysed. The samples were also analysed by the method of microscopic imaging using a DinoLite microscope. Printed samples were tested to washing fastness, and the results are presented in terms of total colour difference (dECMC), according to CMC(l:c) equation, after the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 10th washing cycles. Results showed that the cotton cationization will improve the uniformity and coverage of the printed area as well as increase the K/S value. For the samples with binder, the positive effect of cationization on the stability and bond strength between the polymer layer as a pigment carrier with the cotton fabric was confirmed.