Cellulose-based conductive cotton textiles for wearable healthcare sensing: From materials to fabrication

Abstract

As wearable technologies become increasingly integrated into daily life, the need for functional and human-friendly materials has grown. Cellulose-based natural textiles, especially cotton, meet this demand through intrinsic comfort, breathability, sustainability, and compatibility with the human body. This review focuses on recent advances in converting cotton into conductive textile sensing platforms for wearable healthcare. Major conductive material classes are covered, including carbon materials, metals, conductive polymers, and MXenes, together with practical fabrication methods such as coating, printing, deposition, and carbonization. Particular attention is given to how the structure and surface chemistry of cotton influence material integration, conductivity, mechanical robustness, breathability, and sensing reliability across representative textile sensors. Representative textile sensors for mechanical, electrophysiological, and chemical signals are summarized, along with integration strategies for stable skin contact and reliable signal readout. Integrated sensor systems for continuous health monitoring are also introduced to link textile sensors with practical wearable operation. Finally, added functionalities for real-world operation are considered, including self-powered sensing, superhydrophobicity, antimicrobial activity, and EMI shielding. By connecting materials, fabrication, sensing performance, and practical operation, this review outlines directions for sustainable and multifunctional textile health-monitoring systems for personalized medicine and digital healthcare.