The manufacturing of textiles uses a lot of energy creating a big carbon footprint and generating pollutants that end up in water streams affecting many ecosystems. The problem is aggravated with the current fast fashion business model which leads to significant amount of textile waste. Developing sustainable practices by adding functionality to textiles as well as creating innovative materials is possible due to the emergence of synthetic biology tools. Here, we use synthetic biology to bind functional domains to textiles for different applications. We present a technology for colour dyeing fabrics that could be applied during the laundry cycle using chromoproteins and cellulose binding domains. We also bioengineer materials with anti-viral properties to improve the protective capability of personal protective equipment (PPE). We integrated peptide binders that capture viral particles and demonstrate that the bioengineered textile captures 114,000 infective SARS-CoV-2 virus particles per cm2 and reduces onwards infection of cells by 500-fold. The technology could also be applied to ventilation systems or for bedding and furnishings at hospital and age care facilities.