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Rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries (AZBs) have been regarded as promising large-scale energy storage technologies, due to their low cost and high safety. However, the dendrite growth and side reactions on the Zn metal anode hinder their practical application. Herein, the cotton textiles-based separators with easily-fabricated and cost-effective features are demonstrated for AZBs. By complexing inorganic fluoperovskite NaZnF 3 and organic Nafion layers, the as-fabricated separator (CT@NZF@N) can regulate the zinc plating/stripping behavior, which will reduce the zinc nucleation overpotential and lower the charge transfer resistance, thus achieving a highly reversible Zn plating/stripping process with corrosion-free and dendrite-free behavior. Consequently, the zinc symmetric cell with CT@NZF@N separator exhibits prolonged cycle life up to 300 h (0.5 mA cm−2, 0.5 mAh cm−2) in a mild ZnSO 4 electrolyte. Moreover, the functional separator also enables V 2 O 5 //Zn battery significantly improved rate capability and cyclability. This work provides an appealing strategy for designing reliable, efficient, and cost-effective separators for high-performance AZBs. [Display omitted] • The NaZnF 3 and Nafion-decorated cellulose-based separators were fabricated. • The separators can regulate the zinc deposition behaviour in aqueous electrolyte. • The separators enable the V 2 O 5 //Zn battery improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]