Abstract:

Significance Traditional textiles are often limited in their thermal management capabilities，which makes it challenging to maintain consistent thermal comfort in diverse and fluctuating environmental conditions. As a result，individuals frequently rely on heating ventilation and air conditioning （HVAC） systems to regulate their indoor climate. Although effective，HVAC systems present several well-known challenges，including high energy consumption，restricted application in certain settings，and inefficiencies in providing personalized thermal comfort. These shortcomings underscore the growing demand for innovative，energy-efficient solutions that can offer individualized thermal regulation. In this context，personal thermal management（PTM）textiles have emerged as a promising alternative. Unlike conventional HVAC systems，which regulate the temperature of entire rooms or buildings，PTM textiles focus on managing the microclimate between the human body and the surrounding garment. This localized approach is not only more energy-efficient but also more adaptable to a variety of personal needs and environmental conditions.

Progress PTM technology aims to optimize the complex heat exchange processes between the human skin，clothing，and the surrounding environment. In modern research，PTM systems are strategically bifurcated into two main categories：active and passive. Active systems require an external energy source for thermoregulation，incorporating sophisticated technologies such as liquid cooling loops，micro-fan ventilation，thermoelectric modules，and flexible Joule-heating fabrics. In contrast，passive systems operate autonomously without external power，relying on intrinsic physical mechanisms like conductive warming，radiative cooling，and evaporative moisture wicking to maintain thermal comfort. To significantly enhance performance，advanced functional materials are integrated into the textile matrix. Aerogel fibers provide extreme insulation due to their ultra-low thermal conductivity，while phase change materials offer intelligent temperature buffering via latent heat storage. Additionally，photothermal materials enable efficient solar-to-thermal conversion，and mid-infrared emitting materials facilitate passive radiative heat dissipation to the cold universe. Beyond materials，fabrication techniques like electrospinning and freeze-spinning have evolved to create unique hierarchical porous architectures. These structural innovations allow for the precise modulation of critical optical and thermal properties，such as solar reflectance and infrared emissivity. By meticulously tailoring textiles to the fundamental human heat dissipation mechanisms e.g. conduction，radiation，convection，and evaporation，researchers are developing versatile，energy-efficient solutions for diverse indoor and outdoor environments. This comprehensive approach ensures that PTM textiles can effectively respond to various climatic challenges while maintaining individual thermal comfort levels throughout daily life，ultimately promoting sustainable development in the modern textile industry.

Conclusion and prospect Personal thermal management textiles have achieved remarkable laboratory-scale milestones by effectively manipulating human-environment heat exchange. The core finding suggests that by integrating advanced functional materials and innovative fiber architectures，it is possible to maintain individual thermal comfort while significantly reducing building energy consumption and carbon footprints. Despite these advancements，several critical challenges persist. There is a persistent trade-off between high thermal functionality and essential wearability，and many high-performance prototypes struggle with air permeability，mechanical flexibility，laundry durability，and tactile comfort. Furthermore，the high cost of functional raw materials and the complexity of processing techniques hinder large-scale industrialization. A significant gap exists also in standardized performance evaluation，particularly the lack of robust metrics for testing under dynamic，non-steady-state，and wet conditions，which limits objective comparisons. Looking forward，it is envisaged that the next generation of PTM textiles will prioritize intelligence，multifunctionality，and biomimetic design. The industry is moving toward creating self-adaptive "smart skins" that autonomously respond to both environmental stressors and internal physiological signals. This evolution will likely involve the seamless integration of flexible sensors，energy-harvesting units，and micro-actuators into the textile matrix to achieve precise active thermoregulation. To facilitate widespread adoption，future research should focus on harmonizing sophisticated material science with traditional large-scale manufacturing. It is suggested that bio-inspired structures，such as those mimicking polar bear fur，be used to achieve extreme thermal regulation without sacrificing breathability. Ultimately，creating aesthetically pleasing，smart garments will be key to revolutionizing wearable technology.

Key words: functional textile, personal thermal management, radiative thermoregulation textiles, conductive thermoregulation textile, evaporative cooling textile, dual-mode textile