Common, existing and future applications of antimicrobial textile materials

Abstract Textile materials are susceptible for the growth of a wide range of microorganisms that cause hazards to public health and textiles’ quality losses due to appearance changes, including colour, strength reduction and odour formation. Of these microorganisms, some developed multidrug resistance because of the extensive use of antibiotics. Microbes should be treated by following better hygiene conditions, thus leading to less infection. Growth of microorganisms on textiles affects the textile materials themselves and the wearer as well. There is a need for antimicrobial (AM) active agents to be added to the textiles materials to protect them from contamination of these microorganisms. Biocides, silver, quaternary ammonium salts, polyhexamethylene biguanide, triclosan, chitosan, dyes and regenerable N-halamine compounds and peroxyacids are some of these strategies used to prevent textile materials contamination. In this study, various materials or methods used to inhibit the contamination or growth of microorganisms will be investigated briefly.