Biopolymers in Aromatherapeutic Textiles

Although they represent a niche field, aromatherapeutic textile materials are increasingly used lately. These are obtained by applying different bioactive systems that include essential oils, on different textile supports. The purpose of using essential oils consists of obtaining functional textile materials with therapeutic and well-being effects. Biopolymers are quite often used in the production of aromatherapeutic textiles because of the distinct characteristics they present, including biocompatibility and biodegradability. In addition to these properties, biopolymers are also used for the embedding of essential oils and their prolonged release and to give the textile support a more pleasant texture. In this book chapter, essential oils and their application in the textile industry, various types of biopolymers used to obtain aromatherapeutic textiles, their properties and the kinetic models of the release of essential oils from polymer systems, and the application of polymer systems on the textile supports have been checked.