Cosmetotextiles: wearable body care

by Textiles Intelligence

Published August 2011 ISBN 978-1-849781-80-0 Textiles Intelligence Limited 2011

Textiles Intelligence
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All statistics are drawn from official national and international sources unless otherwise indicated. All tons are metric tons unless otherwise stated. n/a = not available or not applicable

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List of contents
SUMMARY INTRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT OF COSMETOTEXTILES FUNCTIONS AND BENEFITS OF COSMETOTEXTILES MARKET FOR COSMETOTEXTILES MICROENCAPSULATION OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCES FOR COSMETOTEXTILES
Production and application of microcapsules Advantages of microencapsulation Structure of microcapsules Sensory Perception Technology microcapsules Polyurethane-urea microcapsules Mechanisms for releasing active ingredients in microcapsules

SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF COSMETOTEXTILES

Safety Quantity Testing and substantiation of cosmetics efficacy

APPLICATIONS OF COSMETOTEXTILES
Aromatherapy garments Skin care garments Plant-based active substances Animal-based active substances Slimming garments Vitamin enriched garments Cooling garments Insect repellent garments Anti-odour garments Ultraviolet protective garments

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REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

Regulations European Cosmetics Directive Cosmetic Regulation 1223/2009 Standards ISO 22716 International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) CEN/TR 15917

CONCLUSIONS

List of tables
Table 1: Typical wall materials used for microencapsulation Table 2: Examples of test methods used for substantiating claims made about cosmetics Table 3: Characteristics of a genuine cosmetotextile compared with a pseudo-cosmetotextile Table 4: Claimed benefits of essential oils

List of figures
Figure 1: Wash durability of a cosmetotextile Figure 2: Polymeric wall of a microcapsule Figure 3: Microcapsules in textile fibres Figure 4: Perceived effects after Skintex Supercool T-shirt is washed

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Cosmetotextiles: wearable body care

SUMMARY
Cosmetotextiles combine cosmetics with textiles, and provide consumers with the benefits of each. They act as vehicles for the transfer to the skin of cosmetic ingredients which promote a sense of well-being, combat ageing or provide therapeutic solutions. As cosmetotextiles cover a large part of the body for most of the day, they represent a convenient way of providing cosmetic benefits without the need to take a pill, apply a lotion or undertake vigorous exercise. Advances in cosmetotextiles have been made possible by microencapsulation, a method of enclosing a substance inside a miniature capsule. This method has enabled textile manufacturers to incorporate a growing range of active substances into fabrics, from moisturisers and insect repellents to vitamins and slimming agents. The first commercial products to be developed by the cosmetotextiles industry were scented fabrics. These became popular among some consumers because of their novelty value. However, the range of applications for these textiles has greatly expanded in recent years to include garments which moisturise the skin, tone the body or soothe the senses. The health promoting aspects of textile finishes have excited a large number of consumers. But many remain sceptical about the concept of combining cosmetics and textiles, and some believe that the concept is a marketing gimmick. It is likely to take some time for these consumers to be convinced of the effectiveness of cosmetotextile products. Even so, the popularity of plug-in air fresheners and aromatherapy products highlights the latent demand for greater freshness and well-being. Furthermore, belief in the concept of cosmetotextiles is likely to be strengthened by the progressive involvement of high profile companies in the cosmetics and textile industries. Some experts envisage that cosmetics will be used routinely in applications such as hosiery, even though the industry is still in its infancy and knowledge in this field is scattered. But the cosmetotextiles industry can only succeed if the claimed cosmetic effects of its products are perceptible to the wearer. Moreover, these products tend to be expensive and they will only achieve success on a large scale if the wearer believes that he or she is being offered value for money.

INTRODUCTION
A cosmetotextile is a textile or garment into which a cosmetic has been integrated
Textiles Intelligence Limited 2011

A cosmetotextile can be defined as a textile or garment into which a cosmetic substance or preparation with special properties has been integratedusually by encasing the substance or preparation within microcapsules. A cosmetics product is defined in the European
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Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC) as any substance or preparation intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body ... with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting body odours and/or protecting them or keeping them in good condition. For a garment to be considered a cosmetotextile it must contain cosmetic ingredients which are capable of being transferred to the wearers skin The ingredients are usually incorporated by encasing them in microcapsules which are then attached to the fibres from which the textile or garment is made The contents of the capsules can be released by friction or pressure as a result of body movements, allowing the contents to escape and attach to the skin For a garment is to be considered a cosmetotextile, therefore, the cosmetic ingredients contained within it must be capable of being transferred to the wearers skin. It should be noted in this context that cosmetotextiles do not include disposable products such as wipes. The cosmetic ingredients used in cosmetotextiles can be derived from animals, plants or metals. They are most commonly incorporated into a textile by encasing them in microcapsules and attaching the microcapsules to the fibres from which the textile is made. The contents of the capsules can be released later by friction generated between the fabric and the skin, or by pressure between the fabric and the body, as a result of natural movements of the body. Such friction or pressure ruptures the walls of the capsules, thereby allowing the contents to escape and attach to the skin.

DEVELOPMENT OF COSMETOTEXTILES
Research into the concept of cosmetotextiles did not begin in earnest until the 1980s Cosmetics and textiles are among the worlds oldest man-made products. However, combinations of cosmetics and textiles in the form of cosmetotextiles are relatively new as research into the concept did not begin in earnest until the 1980s. At that time the industry was dominated by small companies with limited funds for research. Progress in developing effective cosmetotextile products was slow because it was difficult to achieve efficacy. This difficulty was partly due to the fact that many cosmetic substances could not be used for long-lasting effects in fabrics because of their heat sensitivity or volatility. Perfumes, in particular, vaporise or evaporate quickly when exposed to air.
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Small firms with limited funds dominated Progress in product development was slow as many cosmetic substances could not be used for long-lasting effects in fabrics because of their volatility