Nanotechnology in Footwear

The average person walks about 10,000 steps a day. During a lifetime, the person will have walked approximately 150,000 miles, which is four times around the world. The human foot contains approximately 125,000 sweat glands that excrete as much as 250ml of moisture per day and that 25% of 26 bones are located in the human foot.

This project is modern day footwear for young adults seeking a casual but flexible option in shoes. The nanotechnology in the fibres react to the intensity of the UV light which relaxes and opens up the textile fibre when the sun is strong, to allow more ventilation.when the whether is cooler, the nanotechnology within the sole allows the fabrics to stiffen thereby reducing air circulation in the shoe.

Another characteristic of the shoe is that it has a programmed response to resist bacteria, which allows it to combat foot odour, tinnia and other fungal problems. The Barefoot product is totally recyclable and can be constantly adapted with other design options such as sole, heel and toecaps. The product also has the additional feature of massage programming. This sole setting is available in grass, sand and water to give the wearer a virtual organic walking experience.

Nanotechnology in Sleepwear

Sleep is deprived and insomnia is on the rise. The 25 to 40 year old people never has enough time in their busy day. They work in a highly demanding position and is constantly stressed trying to meet unrealistic deadlines and timeframes. Due to the evolution in technology everything needs to be done instantly, however there are not enough hours in the day. The demographic target market is the highly educated, independent, degree-carrying individual. It aspires to have a successful career and calming sleepwear enables her career, and lifestyle, to flourish.


Calming sleepwear is fashionable and functional, it is aesthetically pleasing and it aids sleep. Nanotechnology enables the fabric to contain biomedical properties that relax and ease her anxieties. A combination of natural elements including; melatonin, tryptophan, calcium, chamomile, valerian and St Johns wart are released into the skin as they sleep.

Light plays a major role in the function of this sleepwear product. A person needs to have sufficient amount of night-time sleep in a darkened room. This calming sleepwear is inactive when exposed to light; the product can be worn during the day while the nanotechnology is inactive. In the dark the relaxing properties within the garment are released over a given time span. The fabric can be renewed by immersing in a replenishing solution.

Fabrics that Elevate Poisonous Gas

Juan Hinestroza at North Carolina State University, and researchers at the University of Puerto Rico have pioneered a method to develop chemical-resistant textiles by attaching nanolayers to natural fibers."These layers are customized for different chemicals," Hinestroza said. "We can specifically block warfare agents like mustard or nerve gas, or industrial chemicals, while still allowing air and moisture to pass through to make the fabric breathable."Chemicals are blocked, when they bind to the polymers of the fibers, which are made of materials which attract the chemical agents.

These fabrics could be made into garments that offer very high levels of protection, without affecting comfort or usability
There are dozens of potential uses of this technology.

• Imagine gloves coated with arthritis drugs
• Military uniforms coated with antibacterial layers to prevent infection in case of wound
• Antibacterial sheets for submarine bunks to prevent illness spread as these bunks are shared by enlisted personnel
• Comfortable protective clothing against several chemical and biological warfare agents

Additional uses could include diapers coated with anti-itching polyelectrolytes or tissues coated with anti-allergy medicine.

Clothing that Changes Color with Change

University of Pittsburgh researchers have synthesized a molecule that forms the first "nanocarpet," whereby the nanotubes organize themselves into an expanse of upright clusters that looks like the fibers of a shag rug.

Moreover, unlike other nanotube structures, these tubes can sense their environment, change color and can be trained to kill bacteria. The research aims at developing a paint that in the event of biological or chemical agents being deployed would change color and simultaneously destroy the deadly substances.

Clothing that Emits Substances By Slow Release

Micro-encapsulation involves depositing microcapsules onto a yarn or fabric containing a slow-release active agent. This process has led to the emergence of fragranced fabrics, with miniscule capsules of perfume (Austrim Textiles Pty Ltd, Sofileta) or moisturisers (Penn Elastic, Welbeck) incorporated in the actual textile.

James McGalliard has invented a fabric garment which automatically removes unwanted hair while being worn against the skin of the user. The garment is coated with a pressure sensitive microencapsulated depilatory agent.

Pressure exerted by a hair stubble against the fabric causes the microencapsulation to rupture and dispense the depilatory agent in a small localized area around the hair follicle. The depilatory agent dissolves the hair stubble without irritating the user's skin.

Clothing Which Can Absorb Body Odors

NanoHorizons, based in State College, Pa., has begun to sell a line of metallic nanoparticles that are compatible with standard polymer manufacturing process. This means that silver, gold and other metals that kill bacteria and odor-causing microbes can be incorporated into shoes, athletic equipment and other plastic or nylon products.

Nano Textiles Stain, Wrinkle and Liquid-resistant Fabrics

Because the chemical is on a "nano-scale", Nano-Textile Resists Spills fabrics achieve unsurpassed durability without sacrificing the natural hand and breathability of the fabric. Nano-Textile fabric protection is a chemical enhancement, attached at the molecular level, to fundamentally transform the fibers.


This nanotech application of water-and-oil repellent finishing is effective for use in natural fibers such as cotton, linen, wool and silk, as well as synthetics such as polyester, nylon and acryl.

Unsurpassed performance in durability and water and oil repellency may be expected particularly with natural fibers. Nano-Pel cotton withstands 50 home launderings, with functionality levels well-maintained for water and oil repellency (80 and 4) even after 20 washes. It can endure 20 dry cleanings when applied to wool or linen, a distinctive feature in contrast to conventional methods that display hardly any durability. Heat treatment, such as through ironing or tumble drying, is required for the onset of water-and-oil repellency. 

Overview of Nanotechnology and Nanotextiles

Nanotechnology is the technical process of working on the nano-scale.Each nano-scale molecule is one million times smaller than a grain of sand. Nanotechnology refers to not only the small size of the materials being used, but also how those materials are engineered to perform specific functions.

Traditional coatings make garments feel stiff and clog the weave of the fabric preventing breathability. Using nanotechnology, treatments are small enough to attach to individual fibers, delivering superior performance characteristics without compromising the look, feel or comfort of the fabric.

There are lots of possible routes for nanotechnology to be incorporated into fabrics. Those which integrate most easily with existing textile processing equipment have, unsurprisingly made it to market first, but more sophisticated fabrics and applications are also available, which provide some genuine performance innovations.