In the recent era of development, the global market for the sportswear textile manufacturing industries has increased with the increase in consumption of active sportswear. The sportswear manufacturers not only focused on the market trends but also focused on material diversification with technology enhancement. The performance characteristics of active sportswear directly influence comfort level and athletic performance during sports activities. Different types of sportswear products require different performance characteristics. Appropriate moisture and heat management are the key factors for the endowment of the required physiological comfort level. In highly engineered textile-based sports goods, special characteristics are incorporated in the polymer/fibers/product manufacturing procedures/finishing techniques to obtain the maximum performance and comfort level. In this review paper current market trends, highly engineered polymers, fibers, fabrics, finishes, nanomaterials, and the recent developments in the manufacturing techniques of sportswear are illustrated.

In this study, cotton-reinforced alginate hydrogel fibers were successfully synthesized using the wet spinning technique to improve hydrogel fibers’ mechanical strength and durability. Structural, chemical, and mechanical properties of the prepared fibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, and single fiber strength tester. Based on the results obtained from fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray Diffraction, cotton fibers have been successfully incorporated into the structure of the hydrogel fibers. It was seen from the differential scanning calorimeter results that the incorporation of fibers in the structure even enhanced the thermal stability of the fiber and is viable to be implanted in the human body. Cotton reinforcement in alginate hydrogel fibers increases the modulus up to 56.45 MPa providing significant stiffness and toughness for the hydrogel composite fiber. The tenacity of the fibers increased by increasing the concentration of alginate from 2.1 cN/Tex (1% w/v) to 8.16 cN/Tex (1.5% w/v). Fiber strength increased by 26.75% and water absorbance increased by 120% by incorporating (10% w/w) cotton fibers into the fibrous structure. It was concluded that these cotton-reinforced alginate hydrogel fibers have improved mechanical properties and liquid absorption properties suitable for use in various biomedical applications.

Chemical and flame resistance of natural fiber-reinforced composites is a point of concern for industry and researchers, especially for applications involving chemicals and high temperatures. The present work focuses on studying the effect of jute fiber treatment, the addition of ZnO nanoparticles to resin, and use of chemical-resistant resin on the chemical resistance (alkali and acid), fire retardancy and mechanical properties of jute/unsaturated polyester composites. Scouring, mercerization, and hybrid fluorocarbon (HFC) treatments of woven jute fabrics were observed. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were dispersed in normal (Nrml) and chemical resistant (CR) unsaturated polyester resins using a sonicator. Then four layered cross ply symmetric composites were made by hand layup. Chemical resistance, fire retardancy, tensile, flexural, and impact properties were tested using standard test methods. Fiber treatments, chemical resistant resin, and ZnO were found to have a significant effect on the tested parameters. Acids and base solutions, with higher concentrations, caused more damages to the samples, ranging from 1.2% to 7% weight loss. This weight loss was reduced to 0.25% with ZnO treatments. This treatment also enhanced the tensile strength up to 23 MPa. Similarly, HFC treatment increased flexural strength 46 MPa to 54 MPa.

Textiles have been used for clothing purposes since ancient times. However, due to their functional properties, their importance—as well as their use in various fields such as filtration, protective clothing, and medical applications—increased over time. Properties of the textile fabrics depend mostly on the fiber type, fabrication technique, and structure. Moreover, fabric porosity is one of the properties that provide comfort, increased thermal insulation, and filtration capability to the end products. The porous structure of woven, knitted, and nonwoven fabrics has been used for many years to get the desired porosity. Usually, macroporous structures are achieved using these types of textiles. Electrospinning is used to produce nanoporous textile fibrous web, but its poor mechanical properties and low production rate limit its use. Aerogels are solid materials with ultrahigh porosity at the nanoscale with low density and good thermal insulation properties, due to which they are considered potential insulation materials today. On the other hand, pure aerogels are sometimes brittle and have poor mechanical properties. Thus, they cannot be directly used in various applications. Consequently, textile reinforced aerogel composites have been developed, which could provide flexibility and strength to aerogels and impart nanoporous structure to textiles. This review summarizes conventional techniques to produce the porous structure in textiles followed by the modern techniques to develop a nanoporous structure. Further, different mechanisms to synthesize textile reinforced aerogel composites are discussed to get a nanoporous structure for filtration and thermal insulation applications. The porosity, mechanical properties, and thermal insulation of textile reinforced aerogel composites are also highlighted. In the end, we give a conclusion that not only summarizes the literature, but also includes recommendations for the researchers.

The use of sustainable natural fibers as reinforcement in polylactic acid (PLA) composites offers a promising approach to developing environmentally friendly and renewable composite materials. This research article explores the impact of weave designs on various mechanical properties of fiber‐reinforced polymeric composite (FRPC) laminates. Four different weave designs, including 1/1 plain, 2/2 matt, 4/1 satin, and 3/1 twill, were developed using flax yarn obtained from the Linum usitatissimum plant. These weave designs were incorporated into composites by wrapping the flax yarn with PLA filament as the matrix, followed by compression molding. The study examines the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the subsequent flax/PLA composites, including flexural strength, Charpy strength, tensile strength, and viscoelastic characteristics like damping factor, loss, and storage modulus. The plain 1/1–reinforced composite exhibits superior tensile strength (12 MPa), tensile modulus (9800 MPa), and flexural properties (29 MPa) due to the higher number of intersection points in the weave design, while in the case of impact strength (6.7 kJ/m²), satin structure‐reinforced composite showed superior properties due to higher float length of warp yarns and lower intersection points in the weave structure.

Improvement in the performance and compatibility of face masks has remained the focus of researchers in recent years, especially after the emergence of the COVID pandemic. Although a lot of progress in the design, tolerability, and comfort of the mask has been reported, there are certain limitations, requiring further improvement. The present review aims to highlight the filtration efficacy, comfort, and associated characteristic of various types of face masks and respirators as a function of their design and structure. In addition, the air pollutants, their adverse effects on health, certified respirators, and face masks are also discussed. The present review also provides an insight into different types of commercially available face masks in terms of their materials, filtration efficiency, and limitations. The role of emerging trends (such as nanotechnology and high-performance polymers) in the improvement and development of face masks and respirators is also discussed.