Functional Finishing and Trend Analysis of Home Textiles

Functional finishing of textiles refers to the process of imparting special performance characteristics that the fabric would not naturally possess, serving as an important means of enhancing the added value of textile products. As a key component of textile‑fabric applications, home textile products exhibit substantial demand for functionally finished fabrics. Based on the unique application contexts of home textiles, this paper reviews common functional finishes and offers a preliminary analysis of their future development.

Functional Finishing of Traditional Household Textiles

Durable, wrinkle-free finish

Compared with wrinkle‑free finishing, DP (double‑press) or PP (permanent press) finishes can enhance a fabric’s resistance to wrinkling, resulting in a smooth, crease‑free appearance and improved dimensional stability. These finishes also help maintain garment shape and retain pleats, such as keeping the creases in trousers and skirts intact. Durable heat‑press finishing is primarily used on cotton fabrics and polyester‑cotton blends; virtually all textile fabrics containing natural fibers require this type of treatment.

Among home textiles, bedding typically requires this type of finishing.

Flame-retardant finishing

Flame‑retardant finishing refers to a treatment that enables fabrics to inhibit flame spread to varying degrees and to extinguish themselves promptly upon removal from the ignition source. Fiber combustion generally falls into two categories: flaming combustion and non‑flaming combustion. The former involves the combustion of gases and volatile liquids produced during the thermal decomposition of the fiber, while the latter is the oxidation of the residual char (carbon). Moreover, fiber combustion is closely linked to its thermal decomposition products, and the thermal degradation processes differ among various fibers. In the flame‑retardant finishing of textiles, both of these phenomena should be minimized as much as possible. The mechanism of flame‑retardant finishing for textiles is as follows:

(1) Covering theory: At 500°C, flame retardants can form a barrier layer on the fiber surface, which both inhibits oxygen supply and prevents flammable gases from diffusing outward, thereby achieving flame retardancy; examples include borax and boric acid.

(2) Gas-phase theory: One mechanism involves the flame retardant decomposing at combustion temperatures to produce non‑combustible gases, thereby diluting the concentration of flammable gases below the level required for flame propagation. The other mechanism is that, under thermal conditions, the flame retardant acts as a highly reactive free-radical scavenger, thus inhibiting the progression of free-radical chain reactions.

(3) Endothermic Theory: One approach involves flame retardants undergoing endothermic transformations at high temperatures—such as melting or sublimation—to inhibit the spread of combustion. Another approach is for fibers to rapidly dissipate heat, thereby preventing the fabric from reaching its ignition temperature.

(4) Catalytic Dehydration Theory: This theory primarily involves altering the thermal decomposition process of fibers. By inducing rapid and extensive dehydration of cellulose molecular chains prior to fiber scission—sometimes even triggering cross-linking reactions—the flame retardant prevents the formation of levoglucosenone and thereby suppresses flame propagation.

Home textile fabrics are primarily used in flame-retardant finishing processes for curtains, kitchenware, carpets, sofas, and children’s bedding.

Three-proof finishing

The water‑, oil‑, and stain‑repellent treatments applied to fabrics are commonly referred to as the “three‑proof” finishes. In household textiles, these three‑proof finishes are primarily used for kitchenware and sofa upholstery. At present, the main development trends in three‑proof textiles are:

1. Applications of functional fibers, such as the blending and interweaving of hydrophobic and oleophobic fibers. The primary mechanism involves modifying the fiber’s specific surface area and, through changes in surface tension and contact angle, achieving hydrophobicity, stain resistance, or enhanced cleanability.

2. Functional auxiliaries are primarily added during coating and printing processes, often subjected to high-temperature baking. They are mainly formulated with various resins as the primary raw materials, but their breathability is typically poor. In home textile fabrics, they are commonly used in products such as kitchen aprons.

1. Radiation-proof finishing

1. UV-protective finishing

Modern scientific research indicates that the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the human body far outweigh its benefits. Conditions such as cataracts and skin cancer are primarily caused by UVR exposure. Consequently, UV‑protective finishing of textiles—particularly those intended for long-term or outdoor use—is of considerable importance.

Outdoor tents and stroller canopies typically require UV‑protective treatment.

UV‑protective finishing method:

(1) High‑temperature, high‑pressure adsorption: This method is similar to the high‑temperature, high‑pressure dyeing of polyester. Certain UV absorbers that are insoluble or poorly soluble in water have molecular structures analogous to those of disperse dyes; under high‑temperature, high‑pressure conditions, they can penetrate and become fixed within the fiber. The high‑temperature, high‑pressure adsorption process is suitable for synthetic fiber fabrics such as polyester and nylon, and is often employed to carry out both disperse dyeing and UV‑protective finishing in a single bath.

(2) Atmospheric‑pressure adsorption: This method is primarily suited for UV‑protective finishing of fabrics made from natural fibers such as linen, wool, and silk. It requires the use of water‑soluble UV absorbers, for example, benzophenone‑type water‑soluble UV absorbers, whose molecular structures contain multiple hydroxyl groups, providing excellent adsorption onto natural fibers like cotton. Consequently, this approach can be employed for UV‑protective finishing of cotton and other natural‑fiber textiles under ambient pressure.

(3) Pad–dry–cure process: Since most UV‑blocking agents are insoluble in water and lack affinity for natural fibers such as cotton and linen, the adsorption method is unsuitable. Instead, a resin‑impregnation approach is employed to fix the UV‑blocking agent onto the fabric surface. The pad‑dye liquor comprises the UV‑blocking agent, a resin, a softening agent, and other additives. However, the resin tends to coat the fabric’s pores, which can adversely affect the finished fabric’s appearance, absorbency, and breathability.

(4) Coating Method: The coating method typically involves incorporating an appropriate amount of UV‑blocking agent into a coating formulation, applying a precisely controlled thin coating to the fabric surface using a coating machine, followed by drying and any necessary heat treatment to form a thin film on the fabric. Although this approach may affect wash durability and hand feel, it offers broad compatibility with various fiber types, low processing costs, and modest requirements for application technology and equipment. Most UV‑blocking agents used in the coating method are high‑refractive‑index inorganic compounds.

(5) Microencapsulation Technology: Microcapsules are a specialized form of encapsulation, with the contents inside ranging from solid particles to liquid droplets or gas bubbles. By employing microencapsulation, UV‑protective finishes can be loaded into the capsules; during wear, friction on the capsule surface causes it to rupture, enabling the sustained release of the UV‑blocking agent. Furthermore, incorporating photosensitive color‑changing crystals into the capsules allows the fabric to exhibit color‑change functionality, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and its UV‑protection performance, thereby providing resistance against prolonged UV exposure.

(6) Printing method: This involves incorporating UV‑blocking or UV‑absorbing agents into the printing paste, followed by steam treatment to fix the agent onto the fabric. This method is suitable for fabrics with relatively modest requirements for UV‑blocking performance.

(7) Sol–gel technology: Conventional shielding agents typically exhibit poor wash durability. As a novel, versatile technique, sol–gel technology enables the deposition of a transparent metal oxide film on fabric surfaces, significantly enhancing wash resistance and improving UV‑blocking performance.

2. Electromagnetic Radiation-Resistant Finishing

The continuous advancement of modern industry and the rapid development of science and technology are driving the widespread adoption of a wide range of household appliances and electronic devices. While this has brought tremendous convenience to people’s work, study, and daily life, it has also posed significant risks to their physical health. Scientific evidence indicates that, during operation, these appliances and devices emit electromagnetic radiation of varying wavelengths and frequencies. Invisible, odorless, and highly penetrating, such radiation has emerged as a new source of environmental pollution, silently undermining human health, compromising well-being, and contributing to the onset of various illnesses.

In home textile fabrics, it is primarily used for bedding and sleepwear for pregnant women and infants, while curtains for special occasions also serve as a promotional tool.

The main methods for electronic radiation‑protective finishing of textiles are:

(1) Coating Finishing: This treatment method primarily involves directly applying an electromagnetic shielding material onto the fabric, thereby endowing it with the ability to block electromagnetic waves.

(2) During fabric weaving, conductive fibers—such as carbon fiber and silver fiber—are interwoven, or conductive materials are applied in a warp‑and‑weft printing process during dyeing and finishing, thereby forming a mesh-like structure that achieves electromagnetic wave shielding.

Antibacterial and deodorizing finishing

1. Antibacterial and deodorizing

As people place increasing emphasis on health and hygiene, their pursuit of comfort—such as elegance and coziness—in everyday life continues to grow. Bedding, along with harmful bacteria and unpleasant odors commonly encountered in the bedroom, can significantly affect daily living comfort. This, in turn, calls for more stringent measures to inhibit bacterial growth and eliminate odors.

2. Main Methods for Antibacterial and Deodorizing Effects

(1) Physical adsorption: Increasing the fabric’s specific surface area and porosity enhances its ability to adsorb odors, and ultimately achieving deodorization and antibacterial effects by applying antimicrobial agents to the fabric surface.

(2) Chemical adsorption: Through reactions such as oxidation, reduction, decomposition, and neutralization, substances on the fabric surface that cause odors and harbor harmful bacteria, as well as odor‑causing contaminants, are converted into odorless compounds, thereby eliminating harmful microorganisms. Currently, zwitterionic surfactants are the primary agents used.

(3) Photocatalytic method: This approach utilizes ultrafine photocatalytic particles—such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide—to absorb ultraviolet light, generating electrons and holes. These species oxidize adsorbed water into hydroxyl (–OH) radicals and reduce atmospheric oxygen to superoxide (–O2–) ions, ultimately forming peroxides that either kill harmful bacteria or react with odorous compounds, thereby achieving deodorization and antibacterial effects.

Household textiles are in high demand for bedding, curtains, pillow stuffing materials, sofa upholstery, and more.

Special Functions and Intelligent Structures

Fragrance Organization

So‑called fragrance finishing is, in essence, a process that imparts long-lasting scent to fabrics through dyeing and finishing treatments. The predominant approach today involves employing microencapsulation technology to achieve the controlled release of desired fragrance compounds, typically applied during post‑finishing processes. Among these methods, β‑cyclodextrin is currently widely used.

Mosquito repellent treatment

Typically, mosquito-repellent materials or additives are incorporated into the fibers or applied to the fabric surface, imparting a mosquito-repelling effect.

There is strong demand for home textiles, particularly for baby bedding, stroller fabrics, and outdoor fabrics.

Negative ion release for health benefits

Negative ions have been proven to possess antibacterial and air-purifying properties. At the same time, they emit far-infrared radiation that is readily absorbed by the human body, increasing the oxygen content in the blood. This facilitates oxygen transport, uptake, and utilization, thereby promoting metabolism, enhancing immune function, boosting bodily energy, and helping to regulate the body’s functional balance.

Negative-ion finishing for textiles primarily involves processing substances that release oxygen‑negative ions—beneficial to human health—into nanoscale particles, encapsulating them in microcapsules, and then incorporating them into fabrics through spinning, dyeing, and finishing processes, where they are slowly released during use.

Negative-ion‑emitting home textiles are primarily used in people’s intimate living spaces—offices, bedrooms, and living rooms—making them an excellent choice for creating a high‑negative‑ion environment, alleviating work‑related fatigue, promoting restful sleep, and enhancing cognitive performance.

Temperature-Responsive Smart Fabric

This is primarily achieved by incorporating smart temperature‑responsive materials and additives into home textiles, rendering them sensitive to temperature changes and enabling them to signal such changes through color shifts or electronic signals. Subsequently, an information feedback system transmits these cues to a control system, facilitating environmental alerts or autonomous temperature regulation—examples include infant clothing and bedding that change color in response to body temperature, as well as curtains that automatically adjust their shade based on light intensity.

Future Development Directions for Functional Finishing of Home Textiles

Multi-functional

As living standards rise, consumers’ demand for functional textiles—particularly home‑textile fabrics—has shifted from single‑functionality to multi‑functional performance. This poses new requirements for textile materials and processing technologies and represents the future trend in the development of functional home‑textile fabrics.

Safe with no residue

Safety is a perennial concern in society, and home textiles are indispensable in everyday life, constantly by our side. In some cases, they can even be likened to the food we consume, demanding exceptionally high standards of safety—such as handkerchiefs, tourniquets, and infant bedding. Consequently, when selecting multifunctional textile materials and employing finishing, dyeing, and chemical additives, it is essential that these products exhibit non‑toxicity, non‑irritancy, environmental friendliness, biodegradability, and recyclability.

Sustainable functionality

Maintaining functionality and performance durability throughout the product’s lifecycle is a key indicator of product quality and performance, and it also determines whether a product can command high added value. This necessitates that designers of home textiles thoroughly understand both the intended applications and the manufacturing processes at the earliest stages of product development, seamlessly integrating these factors to achieve twice the results with half the effort.

Information Intelligence

Endowing textiles with the ability to respond to environmental changes and transmit electronic information. In home textiles, this is primarily manifested in responding to environmental stimuli, maintaining optimal bedroom environmental parameters, and monitoring human physiological indicators.