Electroless deposition was successfully applied in developing crystalline particles of zinc oxide onto polyester textile materials; this deposition is here presented in comparison with other materials made from poly(lactic acid), polyamide or hemp. Structural and spectroscopic characterization of the raw and deposited samples has been performed. The structure of zinc oxide particles was that of wurtzite type as indicated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crystallites were 20–500 nm in diameter and up to 1 µm in length. The grown particles cover the fibers not only on the fabric surface but in the textile depth. Contact angle measurement by the sessile drop method was used to study the wettability behavior of the investigated composite systems. The hierarchical roughness structure generates superhydrophobic properties onto polyester fabrics, for which water contact angles exceed 150°. The other functionalized samples also become more hydrophobic after deposition. Cassie‐Baxter model was found suitable to describe the behavior, though the fraction of surface occupied by the water–solid interface is high enough. The electroless deposition technique applied previously for cotton fabrics was once more proven to be highly reproducible, easy scalable, and cheap, allowing a wide range of applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1427–1437

"Agriculture is the backbone of our country; Textile can be the backbone of Agriculture?" Today, agriculture and horticulture has realized the need of tomorrow and opting for various technologies to get higher overall yield, quality and tasty agro-products. This review works as an introduction about the agro-textile products available currently to bang the agriculture. This gives the idea about the properties and classification of the agrotextile products.

Having in view the sustainable development context, the textile sector represents a strong pillar of the Romanian manufacturing industry, which is able to contribute to the valorization of natural indigenous raw materials. The paper presents economic aspects in the base of the results obtained through developing/ implementing a research project financed by the National Sectorial Program, coordinated by the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation, aiming to establish strategic solutions for capitalization of Romanian coarse wool fibers. There are emphasized the project’s results obtained by the collaboration of three important actors from research activity and economic environment: the National Research and Development Institute for Textiles and Leather – INCDTP Bucharest, the only R&D Institute in Romania, SC MINET SA Company, Râmnicu Vâlcea county – a representative manufacturing company for nonwoven materials and the Research Institute for Sheep and Goats Breeding, Palas, Constanța county, partners in the consortium coordinated by the National Research and Development Institute in Constructions, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development URBAN-INCERC Bucharest.

The wool processing sector in Romania experienced a regression in terms of fiber quality after 1989, caused by a combination of factors: uncontrolled crossbreeding, low area and low quality pastures and lack of support for sheep breeders. As a result, the spin ability limit of the Romanian wool has decreased, as well as the possibility of using it in the textile industry, in the conditions of increasing demand for fine fabrics and knitwear, leading to the closure of many traditional textile companies and the use of imported wool. Under these circumstances, the use of the Romanian wool for related fields such as construction is much more important, as an efficient and viable alternative for recovery and an alternative for revitalization of several economic sectors. The paper presents aspects regarding the textile valorization of the thick Romanian wool varieties in order to produce materials with the role of insulation and sealing, in the field of eco-friendly constructions.

Currently, there are about 80 million people with various types of disability in the European Union, but this number is expected to grow in the coming years, mainly due to the increasing proportion of older citizens. At European Union level, disability is seen as a problem of the whole society. This requires continuous training and adaptation in all spheres of life, for receiving and maintaining these persons in the mainstream of social life, in order to ensure all the facilities. There are powerful incentives for research and innovation in the social field (services for the benefit of people), medical field (diseases whose origin is unknown, customized medical protocols, non-conventional monitoring instruments etc.), or technology field (robotics, informatics, textiles etc.) in an equal manner. An important role is played by the adaptive clothing characterized by comfort, accessibility, safety and style. The paper includes aspects regarding the making of some experimental models of textile elements with electronic functions intended for vital functions monitoring systems.