TECHNICAL TEXTILES

ByRachit ModiArpan Rayate Gaurav ChopraL.D. College of Engineering

TECHNICAL TEXTILES • A Technical textile is a textile product manufactured for non-aesthetic

purposes, where function is the primary criterion.

• It is a large and growing sector and supports a vast array of other industries.

• Technical textiles include textiles for automotive applications, medical textiles (e.g., implants), geotextiles (reinforcement of embankments), agrotextiles (textiles for crop protection), and protective clothing (e.g., heat and radiation protection for fire fighter clothing, molten metal protection for welders, stab protection and bulletproof vests, and spacesuits).

• Over all, global growth rates of technical textiles are about 4% per year greater than the growth of home and apparel textiles, which are growing at a rate of 1% per year.

Fields of Technical Textile, Application and Statistical Analysis

AGROTECH

Technical textile products used in agriculture, horticulture (incl. floriculture), fisheries and forestry.

The technical textile products covered under Agrotech are given below:-

Shade-nets Mulch-matsCrop-covers Anti-hail nets and Bird protection nets Fishing nets

Technical textiles consumption under Agrotech in India is estimated at around Rs 487 Crore. Fishing nets - 90% valued at Rs 442 Crore in 2007-08

Agrotech

BUILDTECHBuildtech segment comprises of textiles or composite materials used in the construction of permanent and temporary buildings as well as structures.

The products covered under Buildtech are given below:-

Architectural membranesHoardings & signagesCotton canvas tarpaulinsHDPE tarpaulinsAwnings & canopiesScaffolding netsFloor & wall coverings

Domestic consumption - Rs 1,726 croreHDPE tarpaulins -Rs 650 crore - 40%

Utility: Buildtech products offer characteristics such as lightness, strength and creep, degradation by chemicals and pollutants in the air.

Buildtech

ClothtechComprises of textile components used for specific functional applications in garments and shoes. Shoe laces InterliningsZip fasteners VelcroLabels Sewing threadsUmbrella cloth

Consumption - Rs 6,570 crore Sewing threads – 60% followed by labels with

about 19%. Interlining - 8% share and elastic narrow fabric

tapes - 6%. Shoe laces and zip fasteners – 5% Velcro and umbrella cloth - around 2%

Utility: Clothtech Products ensure accurate fit and optimum wear comfort. It imparts stretcheability, shrink resistance

Clothtech

MeditechMeditech products include textile materials used in hygiene, health and personal care as well as surgical applications. Their use is based on a number of typical basic textile properties like softness and lightness, flexibility, absorption, filtering etc.

The technical textile products covered under Meditech are as given below:-Baby diapers Incontinence diapersSanitary napkin Surgical suturesDisposables Surgical dressingContact lens Artificial implants

Advantages: Meditech products will prevent hospital acquired infection, cross-infection, and provide savings in overall healthcare costs due to reduced cross-infections. Improved Meditech products will provide comfort and quicker healing.

Meditech

MobiltechMobiltech segment of technical textiles is used in the construction of automobiles, railways, ships, aircraft and space craft. The Mobiltech products can be broadly classified into two categories – Visible components and Concealed components

The technical textile products covered under Mobiltech are as given below:-Nylon tyre cord Airbags Seat upholstery/fabricCar body covers HelmetAirline disposables Webbings for aircraftsAircraft upholstery Railways seating fabrics

Nylon tyre cord accounts for over 60% of the total technical textile consumption in the segment followed by seat upholstery / fabric with a share of around 13%.

Advantages: It provides good performance and safety, reduce the weight of the car, enhance the comfort and aesthetics and provide advanced insulation, fire retardancy.

Mobiltech

OekotechOekotech or Ecotech segment refers to use of technical textiles in Environmental Engineering. The primary segment in this is Landfill waste management which refers to the use of Geosynthetic products to secure landfills against leakage of municipal or hazardous waste. Other areas include secondary protection in Chemical/Oil Industries, etc.

Fishing nets constitute over 90% of the Agrotech technical textiles usage valued at Rs 442 crore in 2007-08 and are expected to grow at 5 % year on year for the next five years.

Utility: The landfill is to bury the trash in such a way that it will be isolated from groundwater, will be kept dry and will not be in contact with air.

Oekotech

GeotechGeotech segment comprises of technical textile products used in Geotechnical applications pertaining to soil, rock, earth etc. The principal functions performed by Geotextiles are confinement /separation, reinforcement, filtration and drainage, and protection. Application areas include Civil, Marine and Environmental Engineering Other specialized Geotech products comprise.

• Geogrids (synthetic filaments and tapes etc formed into a very open, grid like configuration having large apertures)

• Geonets (extruded ribs set in net like fashion with small apertures),

• Geomembranes (impermeable fabric as barrier)• Geocomposites (products using two or more

Geotextiles e.g. Pre-fabricated Drains-PVD)

Geotech

HometechHometech segment of technical textiles comprises of the textile components used in the domestic environment.They are made of both natural and synthetic fibres.

The technical textile products covered under Hometech are as given below:-Fiberfil Stuff toysMattress and pillow componentsFilter cloth for vacuum cleanersCarpet backing cloth (Jute & Synthetic)Nonwoven wipes Mosquito nets Fiberfil and pillow and mattress together constitute over 50% of the usage under the Hometech segment stuffed toys with a share of 13% and carpet backing cloth with around 9% share. The HVAC and vacuum filter fabrics and non woven wipes segments constitute less than 1% of the total Hometech segment consumption.

Hometech

IndutechIndutech includes technical textile products used in the manufacturing sector. The technical textile products covered under Indutech are given below:-

Conveyor belts (TT component) Bolting clothDrive belts (TT component) AGM glass battery separatorsCigarette filter rods Coated abrasives (TT component)Decatising cloth Ropes & cordagesPrinted circuit boards (TT componenT) Composites (technical textiles component)Computer printer ribbon Paper making fabricsFilteration Products

Indutech is expected to increase from around Rs 2,326 crore in 2007-08 to around Rs 4,090 crore by 2012-13 growing at a CAGR of around 12%.

Utility: With advanced Indutech products like Nonwoven nano fibre filtration media is now filling the micro-filtration performance gap that had existed in the past, offering benefits such as enhanced air quality, reduced energy cost, and longer service life.

Indutech

PacktechPacktech includes several flexible packaging materials used for industrial, agricultural, consumer and other goods.The technical textile products covered under Packtech are as given below:-

Polyolefin woven sacks LenobagWrapping fabricJute hessian and sacks Soft luggage products Tea-bags

Woven sacks account for around 50% of consumption under Packtech followed by Jute hessian and sacks with around 30% share.

Advantages: It provides Innovative packing solutions such as oxygen scavenging, packaging for foodstuffs and anti-static packaging for computer equipment. With the advantage of moisture proof quality they are used for packing moisture sensitive goods.

Packtech

ProtechProtech is an ensemble of textile products and related material used in the manufacture of various protective clothing for personnel working in hazardous environment.

The technical textile products covered under Protech are as given below:-

• Bullet-proof jackets• Fire retardant apparels• Radiation protection textile• Chemical protection clothing• Industrial gloves• High altitude clothing

Indian Defence Forces with a total strength of around 1.5 million individuals comprising the army, navy and air force, is one of the largest consumers of protective textiles.

Advantages: Protective Textiles are used for protection from harmful chemical environment, extreme temperature environments, ballistic etc.

Protech

SportechSportech segment comprises of technical textile products used in sports and leisure

The technical textile products covered under Sportech are as given below:-

• Sports composites Artificial turf• Parachute fabrics Sail cloth• Ballooning fabrics Sleeping bags• Sport shoes • Tents Swimwear

The technical textiles usage in the Sportech segment is valued at Rs 2,632 crore in 2007-08. Domestic consumption of sports footwear components is valued at Rs 2,250 crore, accounting for around 85% of the total segment consumption. It is expected to grow at around 11% y-o-y over the next five years. Sport composites include inflatable balls (footballs, volleyball, basketballs, etc), cricket protective equipments and boxing equipments.

Sportech

INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL TEXTILES

The trend in the various sectors in the textile industry in many industrialized countries indicate that the use of conventional textiles has reached a static level and its manufacture has become highly competitive, often unviable and many companies are switching over to value-added technical textiles with capability to meet functional demands for precision applications.

As use of technical textiles is dictated by need, its pricing normally offers good margins.

There is a steady growth of both consumption and production of technical textiles throughout the world.

Latest study on ‘World Market Forecasts for 2010 of technical textiles and industrial non-wovens by David Rigby Associates (DRA) indicates that :

In the year 2000, the World market for technical textiles was estimated to have a volume of 16.7 mn. tonnes with a value of US$ 92.88 billion.

Average annual world-wide growth in volume terms is expected to be 3.60 percent for the period between 2000 to 2010.

It is forecast that the global consumption of technical textiles will amount to 23.77 mn. tonnes by the year 2010 and a value of US$ 127 billion.

In the year 2000, the total textile fibre consumed in the World was 62.2 mn. tonnes, out of which consumption of technical textiles was 16.7 mn. tonnes. USA & western Europe accounted for 23 percent and 22 percent respectively, followed by China with 13 percent and Japan with 7 percent. Remaining 35 percent was consumed by other countries.

In Asia, the annual growth rate is projected to be 4.23 percent during the period 2000-2010 as against 2.60 percent in North America and 2.14 percent in Western Europe.

Technical textiles account for over 50 percent of the total textile activity in certain industrialized countries

A view is gaining ground that technical textile industry in the developed world is maturing in some significant ways and growth of technical textiles in developed economies is expected to be moderate. In contrast, China, India and other countries in Asia, America and Eastern Europe are expected to experience healthy growth in the near future.

Source: DRA, Gherzi analysis and research

Segment-wise market size of technical textiles

Technical Textile Sectors

Year CARG (%)

2000 2005 2010

Volume Value Volume Value Volume Value Volume Value

Mobiltech 2479 25629 2828 26861 3338 29282 3.02 1.34

Indutech 2205 13405 2624 16687 3257 21528 3.98 4.85

Sporttech 989 13897 1153 16052 1382 19062 3.40 3.21

Buildtech 1648 5872 2033 7296 2591 9325 4.63 4.73

Hometech 2186 6750 2499 7622 2853 8778 2.70 2.66

Clothtech 1238 6070 1413 7014 1656 8306 2.95 3.19

Meditech 1543 5391 1928 6670 2380 8238 4.43 4.33

Agrotech 1381 5541 1615 6568 1958 8079 3.55 3.84

Protech 238 5193 279 5873 340 6857 3.63 2.82

Packtech 2552 4393 2990 5329 3606 6630 3.52 4.20

Geotech 255 740 319 927 413 1203 4.94 4.98

Total 16714 92881 19681 106899 23774 127288 3.59 3.20

Volume – ‘000 tonnes Value – US$ mn.

Source: DRA.

Technical Textile Sectors

Year

2000 2005 2010

Value % to Total Value % to Total Value % to Total

Mobiltech 25629 27.59 26861 25.13 29282 23.00

Indutech 13405 14.43 16687 15.61 21528 16.91

Sporttech 13897 14.96 16052 15.02 19062 14.98

Buildtech 5872 6.32 7296 6.83 9325 7.33

Hometech 6750 7.27 7622 7.13 8778 6.90

Clothtech 6070 6.54 7014 6.56 8306 6.53

Meditech 5391 5.80 6670 6.24 8238 6.47

Agrotech 5541 5.97 6568 6.14 8079 6.35

Protech 5193 5.59 5873 5.49 6857 5.39

Packtech 4393 4.73 5329 4.99 6630 5.21

Geotech 740 0.80 927 0.87 1203 0.95

Total 92881 100.00 106899 100.00 127288 100.00

Value – US$ mn.

Source: DRA.

The Technical Textiles field is expected to grow at around 3.60 percent in volume terms and 3.20 percent in value terms

Differential growth rates in volume and value terms indicate pressure on margin and/or production of low value items.

Region-wise technical textile consumption:

Region Technical Textiles consumption (%)

USA 23

Western Europe 22

China 13

Japan 7

Rest of the World 35

Source: DRA.

Fibre consumption in technical textiles

Fibre Type Year

CARG (%) 2000 2005 2010

Natural 3462 3839 4447 2.54

Man-made / Inorganic 13252 15843 19327 3.85

Total 16714 19682 23774 3.59

Volume – ‘000 tonnes

Source: DRA.

The share of Man Made/Inorganic fibre in the total fibre/yarn consumption is expected to increase from 79% in 2000 to 81% in 2010.

Product-wise consumption of technical textiles

Final Textile product

Year

2000 2005 2010

Volume % to Total

Volume % to Total

Volume % to Total

Unspun fibres 4004 23.96 4774 24.25 5763 24.24

Yarn type products 1570 9.39 1776 9.02 2079 8.74

Fabrics 11140 66.65 13133 66.73 15932 67.02

Total 16714 100.00 19683 100.00 23774 100.00

Source: DRA.

The maximum consumption is in the form of fabric at 67 % followed by unspun fibre at 24 % and yarn at 9 %.

The global end-use of technical textiles is predominantly in fabric form and that too in woven fabric form.

Source: The Freedonia Group, IMaCS analysis, Gherzi analysis

Source: Inda, Edana, Gherzi estimates

Global end-use consumption of non-woven fabrics

Technical Textile Sector Consumption (%)

Meditech 33

Buildtech 15

Clothtech 14

Indutech 12

Hometech 12

Mobiletech 6

Geotech 3

Others 5

Source: DRA.

Conclusion• India although being contributing a very small portion

of the World Market, is rapidly growing and new innovations and developments are taken into accounts to promote the Market of Technical Textile in India and bring it on an upper hand when considered worldwide.

• Also, India contributes in the same amount in almost all the fields of the Technical Textiles

• India is looking forward for a healthy and grown Market ahead.