Sweaty and smelling garments are becoming reason for concern in this fast-paced developing society. Smell emitted by textiles requires comprehensive instrumental analyses as well as professionally trained human sniffers (or panelists), feel the scientists at Hohenstein Institute who have now successfully developed an odour analysis programme in measuring this foul smell. Even independent product comparisons and effects of different washing processes can now be assessed with respect to the smell of the textile.
An odour analysis was done at Hohenstein where the researchers focused their efforts on improving the smell of products worn close to skin such as sports wear, socks, etc. The data gathered was used to coordinate fibre types, construction characteristics and special finishing reducing unpleasant odours.
Evaluations of textile odours and scents was made using an Olfactometer – a device to deliver odours to the nose of a group of specially trained test sniffers – in addition to analysis of particular scent molecules using GC/MS.
The processes established has become interesting not only for textiles designed to reduce odours (antibacterial) or those that emit specific scents (wellness textiles), but also for the laundry detergent and cosmetics’ industries because they can now be used for precise analysis of the emission of scents. The head of the Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology, Prof. Dr. Dirk Höfer emphasized, “The condition of various materials can be assessed when they are new, as well as after they’ve been worn, laundered or artificially soiled.”
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
