Technical textiles are high performance textiles that require special functionality. The market of technical textiles is significant and expanding as the products are being put to an ever-increasing number of end uses in various industries such as agriculture, clothing, construction, health care, transportation, packaging, sports, environmental protection, protective wear and many more although technical textiles have attracted considerable attention, the use of fibers, yarns and fabrics for applications other than clothing and furnishing is not new phenomenon. What is relatively new is a growing recognition of the economic and strategic potential of such textiles to the fiber and fabric manufacturing and processing industries. In some of the most developed markets technical products already account for as much as 50 % of all textile manufacturing activity and output.

The technical textiles supply chain is a long and complex one stretching from the manufacturers of polymers for technical fibers, coating and specialty membranes, through the converters and fabricators who incorporate technical textiles into finished products and use them as an essential part of their industrial operations.

There are no easy paths to success since manufacturers still face the challenge of making economic returns commensurate with the risks involved in operating new and complex market. There is constant need to develop fresh products and applications, invest in new processes and equipments and market to an increasingly diverse range of customers. There is continual erosion of the barriers between traditional definition of textiles and technical textiles. An appreciation of the development and potential of technical textile markets therefore starts with some clarification of the evolving terminology and definitions of the scope of the industry and markets.

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About the Authors :

Shabana. M. Bairagdar and Swati V. Chavan are lecturers at D. K .T. Es T. E. I. Ichalkaranj