Recent advances in polymer nanoencapsulation of essential oils for multi-functional textile finishing

Textile finishing is on the cusp of transformative change with the integration of the nanoencapsulation technique. Nanoencapsulation serves as a promising tool for incorporating therapeutic properties into various substrates, including textiles. Essential oils (EOs) are complex, heterogeneous, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds with a broad range of biomedical applications, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. However, essential oils are naturally biologically unstable and volatile, which limit their practical applicability. Nanoencapsulation acts as a barrier, providing physiochemical stability in natural environments. This review systematically explores various essential oils encapsulated in polymeric shells for the slow and sustained release of therapeutic agents functionalized on textiles for antimicrobial, insect repellent and skin care applications. Thus, it presents nanoencapsulation as a promising field in textile finishing and coating for potential biomedical and industrial applications.