Chemical Finishing and Grafting era
In the Chemical Finishing and Grafting era (1960–1991), representative authors at industrial laboratories advanced covalent finishing of cellulose, with J. R. Singh and M. Chen clarifying how methylol crosslinkers such as DMDHEU and related agents impart durable crease resistance through pad-dry-cure processes. They demonstrated the reaction pathways and the role of crosslinking density, translating laboratory kinetics into scalable industrial practice. For grafting, A. K. Verma and L. P. Rao explored ceric-ion redox methods and surface grafting to attach polymers onto cellulose, yielding durable functional finishes. During these years, industrial players such as Courtaulds, ICI, and DuPont refined pad-dry-cure and vapor-phase crosslinking while researchers pursued alternative crosslinkers and polycarboxylic acids to balance performance with reduced hazardous byproducts.
Sustainable Processing and Treatment era
Representative authors in this sustainability-centered era include Hoffmann, Martin, Choi, and Bahnemann, whose canonical TiO2 photocatalysis work laid the groundwork for mineralizing dye effluents. In adsorption-based remediation, Guillaume Crini is prominent for consolidating knowledge on activated carbon and tailored surface chemistries for efficient dye removal from textile wastewater. Green finishing and interfacial engineering were framed by green chemistry pioneers Paul Anastas and John Warner, whose principles guided the industry toward lower-toxicity finishing chemistries and safer process design. The era also witnessed integration of physical and chemical treatments, including combined sonolysis with photocatalysis, and ongoing exploration of solvent-free approaches such as supercritical CO2 dyeing to reduce water use and effluent loads.
MOFs and Active Textiles era
Omar M. Yaghi and Susumu Kitagawa are representative figures of this MOFs and textiles era, with Yaghi’s group pioneering modular metal–organic frameworks and Kitagawa’s group advancing the concept of porous coordination polymers and functionalization strategies. Jeffrey R. Long is another representative, known for demonstrating MOFs in catalysis and sensing, translating framework chemistry into actionable functions. In 2017–2024, researchers extended these ideas to textiles by covalently anchoring UiO-66 and derivatives onto fabrics and developing scalable deposition methods that yield wash-stable MOF coatings for catalysis, filtration, and responsive sensing. Together these contributions reflect a shift from passive fabrics to robust, scalable active textiles suited for protective gear and environmental applications.