1. Application of Technical Textile 2016
1
1. Introduction
The Textile Institute defines technical textiles as the 'textile materials and products manufactured
primarily for their technical and performance properties rather than their aesthetic or decorative
characteristics.
An exceptional feature of technical textiles is the use of innumerable varities of raw materials,
processes, product and application for their production. Some of the materials used for making
technical textile such as Metal, like steel; Minerals, like asbestos and glass; Synthetic fibre
polymers, like PES, PA, PAN, PP etc. Regenerated fibres like rayon fibre and acetate fibre.
Natural fibres like cotton fibre, like cotton fibre, wool fibre etc.
2. Technical Textiles
Technical textiles are textile materials manufactured mainly for their technical performance and
functional properties. Technical textiles in various contexts are often referred to as performance
textiles or functional textiles or engineered textiles or high-tech textiles.
2.1. Other terms used:
Industrial textile
Functional textile
Performance textile
Engineering textile
Invisible textile
High-tech textile
2.2. Technical textiles are usually applied in the following 12 main areas
Agrotech comprises of agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture and forestry.
Buildtech comprises of building and construction.
Clothtech comprises of technical components of footwear and clothing.
Geotech comprises of technical components of geotextiles and civil engineering.
Hometech comprises of technical components of furniture, household textiles and floor
coverings.
Indutech comprises of filtration, conveying, cleaning and other industrial uses`
Medtech comprises of medical field and hygiene.
Mobiltech comprises of automobiles, shipping, railways and aerospace.
Oekotech comprises of environmental protection.
Packtech comprises of packaging.
Protech comprises of personal and property protection.
Sporttech comprises of sports and leisure
2. Application of Technical Textile 2016
2
2.3. Applications of technical textiles
Technical textiles include textiles for automotive applications, medical textiles (e.g., implants),
geotextiles (reinforcement of embankments), agro textiles (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).
2.3.1. Agro textiles
Now much more technical textiles are required for protection, harvesting and storage in
agriculture, forestation and fishing. In this category, the consumption of technical textiles, which
are developed especially for fish farm equipment and agriculture applications, is increasing
rapidly. Also carrying the plants together with the soil in erosion prevention and forestation
studies are realized with technical textiles. In greenhouse coatings, acclimatizing textiles replace
conventional plastic coatings rapidly.
2.3.2. Construction textiles
Today the prevalence of technical textiles in construction
applications is not just limited to isolation; various
applications have emerged thanks to their flexibility and
elasticity. Technical textiles replaced classical filling
materials with their stable position between two separate
surfaces. Technical textiles are the favorite of construction
sector in various regions of the world with their perfect
3. Application of Technical Textile 2016
3
resistance against different climatic conditions. Much more composite materials are used in the
recent years, in building applications resistant to earthquake. Similarly, special fibers are added
in to the mixture of ready-mixed concrete in order to increase its resistance.
2.3.3. Clothing textiles
Interlinings, paddings, interfacings and such products, which are commonly used in textile for
years, are especially the main elements of readymade clothing. Technical textiles in clothing
sector are always sold for higher prices than the other products. In this category, in which woven
products are extremely used, sportive and military high performance clothes promise well for the
future with their high tech product engineering. In the frame of new technologies and changing
costs, special clothes that can be worn daily are the new surprises of this category. Another
development is the increase of technical textiles use in shoes and leather wear sector with
comfort and ventilation purposes.
2.3.4. Geotextiles
The fastest growing product range of the recent period among the others is geotextiles. Despite
low product diversity, high consumption speeds up the payback period of the initial investment.
Geotextiles, which were only used in the developed regions of the world in the past, now finds
their application almost in any parts of the world with the profit and price ratio they offer. The
infrastructure investments of developing countries bring higher amount of geotextiles than
expected. Geotextiles are increasingly used in the building floors for the purpose of insulation
and stability. Each year increasing geotextile requirement makes local productions in the country
sensible.
2.3.5. Decoration textiles
The percentage of technical textiles at homes increased in the last 10 years. From carpet backings
to furniture frames, from beds to kitchen and bathroom materials, textile products out of clothing
are present. On the other hand, the percentage of synthetic fibers increases in home textiles and
4. Application of Technical Textile 2016
4
furnishings. Especially, the new trend of home textiles market is flame retardant fabrics. New
technological products have also taken their places at homes.
2.3.6. Industrial textiles
The most common application of technical textiles is industrial applications. Technical textiles
with special structure are always required for the transportation of the material in the plant with a
band, classification of the products according to their sizes or in filtering processes, during
cleaning and polishing processes. New environment regulations highlighted the filters made of
technical textiles almost with limitless application. Technical textiles provide solution not only
for dust, but also for liquid, gas and oil filtration.
2.3.7. Food textiles:
In the recent year, the use of technical textiles in food packages increased. Some of these
products are also edible textiles. Now easy-clean technical textiles are preferred for the
transportation of food in the production environment; and while they are kept in shelves. Also
the first examples of protective technical textiles received great attention during the heating,
boiling and serving of the food. This is expected to be the fastest growing product group of food
textiles since it is a very novel category and offer hygienic benefits.
2.3.8. Cleaning/ cosmetics textiles
The rapid increase of the use of disposable products in cleaning and cosmetic products sector
bring the changes in user habits together. That is why, it is seen as a rapidly growing sector
parallel to increasing production capacities. Technical textiles completely replaced the
nonqualified textile products in home, factory, office and outdoor cleaning products. This group
will develop with the new products, which are sensitive to dust and liquids.
2.3.9. Medical/ hygienic Textiles
Generally the market of health and hygiene products grows parallel to world's increasing
population.
High standard and complex textiles were always required in medical operations. Unsaturated
markets of developing countries, demands more medical textiles. Hygienic textiles market is
candidate for development with the new products' becoming wide spread.
5. Application of Technical Textile 2016
5
2.3.10. Transportation textiles
Transportation sector constitutes the most important market for technical textiles in many fields
from automobiles to trains, from boats to air crafts. While the past uses were generally for
insulation and coating, currently comfort and smartness stand out. Coatings of personal cars and
trucks and sailing clothes develops in order to resist better against air conditions and get more
technical structure.
2.3.11. Ecological textiles
Although ecological textile products are the fastest diversifying and developing category of the
recent years, it has the smallest market share.
Ecological textile category, which includes technical textiles used in environment protection
studies, consists of many different products for dust and smoke filtration, prevention of erosion,
covering the toxic garbage’s and the control of harmful liquids. Ecological textile products also
attract attention with their high profitability in pricing. Due to the fact that the technical textiles
in this category get smarter rapidly, the filtration of much different and particular waste that are
not included within environment protection standards came up to order.
2.3.12. Packaging textiles
The sacks and bags made of natural fibers such as jute and cotton used for a long time live their
place to modern synthetic fibers. Also the types of big bag and FIBS party packages, which are
started to used recently, increasing. Technical textiles have begun to show up in low weight
packaging processes, heavy load envelopes and food packaging markets. Also the knitted textile
products have an increasing use in consumer packages.
6. Application of Technical Textile 2016
6
2.3.12. Protective textiles
Industrial protective products enter almost in any branch of industry and they are preferred
increasingly. From heat resistant gloves to heat or cold resistant clothes, from protection bands to
protective materials in the shoes, the products become diverse. The special uses started with
waterproofness in umbrellas and sportswear are increasingly used in daily clothes depending on
customer demands.
2.3.13. Sports textiles
Preferred by professional sportsmen, the comfortable, reliable and performance supported the
sportsmen clothes are now requested by all sportsmen and amateurs. The increase of interest in
active sports over the world increases the use of technical textiles in sporting goods.
2.4. Some fields of application for technical textiles
SECTOR EXAMPLES MARKETS
Earthworks
Linings, netting, insulation,
artificial grass ("geotextiles")
Construction companies for roads,
water engineering, soil stabilisation,
tunnels and other earthworks
Construction
Insulation and roofing materials
("building textiles")
Building firms, architects
Agriculture
Sun protection for greenhouses,
fishing nets ("agrotextiles")
Farming, horticulture and fishing
Transport
Car mats and lining, airbags, fire
resistant seat covers and carpets,
safety belts
Producers of cars, aeroplanes, boats
Medical and
healthcare
Bandages, medical corsetry
("medical textiles")
Hospitals, nursing homes,
households
Protection
Safety nets, ribbons and tapes, fire
resistant clothing
("protecting textiles")
Industry, public procurement,
households
Packaging
Twine and cordage, sacks and
bags, tarpaulins ("packing
textiles")
Industry, distribution, households
7. Application of Technical Textile 2016
7
Military and public
services
Fire service equipment, bullet-
proof jackets, army tents,
parachutes, extinguishing
blankets, tubes
Military/security, forestry, offshore
oil industry
Specialised
clothing
Sports, skiing and leisure
Active sports, mountaineering,
households
Communications
Optical fibres, image conductor
cables
Communication sector
Industry
Filters, drive and conveyer belts,
abrasive belts
Engineering, machinery, chemicals,
plastics, mining, energy, etc.
Furnishing
Interlaid scrims, braiding, shower
curtains, umbrellas, parasols, deck
chairs, textile wall papers
Decoration firms, households
3. Technical Textile products
Within the composites industry, woven, knitted braided, non-woven (link) and wound
reinforcements produced from glass, carbon fiber and organic polymer materials like aramids are
presently accepted as technical textile products.
4. Technical Textile fiber
Almost 90 % of the fibers(link to textile fabric) utilized to make technical textiles belong to the
category of conventional fibers and the fibers specially developed to specifically use in technical
textiles are not only expensive but often have limited applications.
5. Conclusion
Technical textile is more importance to develop our export economy. Bangladesh is leg behind in
technical textiles precuts as neither the government nor the textile industry has made any serious
efforts towards synchronizing textile products with emerging needs of our world markets by
developing high value added products. Our government and the textile industry keep their focus
on conventional textiles, ignoring technical textile and knowledge –based products.
6. Reference:
1. www.wipedia.org
2. www.fiber2fahsion.com
3. www.technicaltextile.com