In response to the growing demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable yet functional technical textiles, this research developed a spun-bonded nonwoven from the biodegradable thermoplastic starch-based biopolymer BIOPLAST^®, incorporating fruit extracts as natural sources of polyphenolic compounds and surface-active additives. Extracts from Vaccinium myrtillus L. and Sambucus nigra L. were applied onto a nonwoven’s surface via aerographic spraying using a water/ethanol system. The resulting materials were characterized in terms of morphology, physicochemical and mechanical behavior, surface characteristics, and stability under accelerated ageing and hydrolytic conditions. Treatment with the extracts increased the tensile strength by roughly 38% and elongation at break by about 50%, and it changed the surface from hydrophobic (contact angle of 115°) to hydrophilic, with contact angles of 83° for the blueberry-modified nonwoven and 55° for the elderberry-modified nonwoven. The modified nonwovens also showed sustained release of polyphenolic compounds over 72 h, which is beneficial for biomedical, healthcare, and cosmetic applications, where short-term use, controlled release of active compounds, and bioactivity are more important than long-term durability. Overall, the results indicate that BIOPLAST^®-based spun-bonded nonwovens can serve as fully bio-based carriers for fruit extracts in MedTech-related technical textiles, offering a straightforward way to introduce additional functionality into biodegradable nonwovens.

Bacterial biofilm on implants may cause inflammation, which disturbs the process of the implant’s integration with the surrounding tissues. Such problems are becoming critical for patients’ health, especially in connection with the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Among the existing alternatives for drug treatments are natural-based substances. This study focused on the examination of silica coatings with curcumin and thymol, which were deposited using the sol-gel method on 3D printouts made of Ti6Al4V ELI. This substrate material is commonly used in medicine. The selective laser melting technique used for the manufacturing of samples was in line with the existing procedures applied for individual orthopedic implants. The examination involved the assessment of the coatings’ morphology, chemical composition, and biological effect. The antibacterial properties were tested using a flow cytometer using Escherichia coli, and the cytotoxicity on Saos-2 cells was assessed using the LIVE/DEAD test. The obtained results showed that it is possible to produce silica sol-gel coatings with the addition of specific natural substances in concentrations assuring a bacteriostatic effect. The produced coatings did not show any cytotoxic effect, which confirms the possibility of using both curcumin and thymol as additives to coatings used in medicine, e.g., for orthopedic implants.