**4.2 Triclosan-based antimicrobial finishing**

Triclosan has been widely used in commercial products for many years as an antimicrobial substance used in soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, cleaning lotions, plastics, toothpastes, and antibacterial textiles [52–56]. The European Union's consumption of triclosan in 2006 is reported to be approximately 450 tons. It is reported that 85% of this is used in personal care products, 5% in textile products, and 10% in plastics and products that come into contact with food [54, 57]. Triclosan is also frequently used in the textile industry. Triclosan is used to prevent the formation of bad odor in wool; to prevent the reproduction of bacteria and fungi in synthetic, mixtures, and non-woven textile materials; and to keep mites away from textile materials [57].

75–210 metric tons of triclosan are used in textiles per year globally [5]. According to a 2009 report by the Australian government, between 2001 and 2005, the amount of triclosan contained in textile products exported to Australia varied

between 1 and 20%. The report stated that between 2001 and 2005, textile products containing approximately 1 ton of triclosan were used. In the same report, it is stated that triclosan in used in Australia in wool bed-duvet production, upholstery fabrics, towels, woolly textile products, preparatory fabric production, marine and sports clothes, socks, underwear, shoe linings, zippers, gloves, surgical masks, non-woven products, sleeping bags, and insulation textiles [57]. Triclosan can be added to the textile materials during the fiber production stage and can be applied as a finishing process or transferred in the form of coating [57].
