Protective textiles from the past and for the modern age

Our skin is a delicate environment. Temperature, humidity, UV rays, and other factors might induce unwanted alterations leading first to discomfort and later to skin alteration. For this reason, men always spent time and effort creating new technologies for textiles. Nowadays, protective textiles are well integrated having access to many materials and technologies, including a possible future where textiles are smart and, thanks to their sensors and actuators, can have an active protection. Nevertheless, modernity means use of high amount of natural resources and, in the context of sustainability, we might need to check back to our past and consider again old fibers, like Spanish Broom or Nettle.