# Biofunctional Textiles: Antioxidant and Antibacterial Finishings of Cotton with Propolis and Honey

## TL;DR

This paper explores using propolis and honey to create cotton textiles with antioxidant and antibacterial properties, offering a sustainable and health-enhancing alternative in the textile industry.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel biosolution of propolis and honey for functional finishing of cotton textiles with antioxidant and antibacterial effects.

## Key findings

- Biofunctional textiles reduced over 90% of ABTS radicals, maintaining antioxidant activity after three washing cycles.
- The textiles showed antibacterial effects against Bacillus subtilis, Propionibacterium acnes, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus.
- Antibacterial activity increased when potassium alum was used as a mordant.

## Abstract

The growing activity in the textile industry has been demanding the search for new and innovative technologies to meet consumers’ needs regarding more sustainable and ecological processes, with functionality receiving more attention. Bee products are known for their wide spectra of properties, including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Propolis and honey are the most popular and used since ancient times for the most diverse applications due to their health benefits. With the increasing need for safer and more sustainable practices, the use of natural products for the functional finishing process can be a suitable alternative due to their safety and eco-friendly nature. For that, a biosolution, composed of a mixture of propolis and honey in water, was used to perform the functional finishing of cotton knits, both in the presence and in the absence of potassium alum as a chemical mordant. The fastness strength was also evaluated after three washing cycles. The antioxidant potential of the biosolution, assessed with the in vitro ABTS scavenging assay, provided textiles with the capacity to reduce more than 90% of the ABTS radical, regardless of the mordant presence and even after three washing cycles. Furthermore, biofunctional textiles decreased the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Propionibacterium acnes, Escherichia coli, and, particularly, Staphylococcus aureus cultures after 24 h of incubation with an increase in antibacterial activity when potassium alum was used. These findings show that bee products are promising and effective alternatives to be used in the textile industry to confer antioxidant and antibacterial properties to cotton textiles, thereby enhancing human health.