Textile Research & Innovation in Europe from 2005 to 2025 Paolo Canonico, President of the Textile ETP 10th Annual Textile ETP Conference, Brussels, 25 March 2015

1. Textile Research & Innovation in Europe
From 2005 to 2025
Paolo Canonico
President of the Textile ETP
10th Annual Textile ETP Conference, Brussels, 25/03/2015

2. 1. A look back to 2005
2. Where do we stand today? (And how did we
get here?)
3. Towards 2025 - looking into the future
4. Conclusions
Contents

3. 1. A look back to 2005
2. Where do we stand today? (And how did we
get here?)
3. Towards 2025 - looking into the future
4. Conclusions
Contents

4. T/C Industry in 2005
• Market liberalisation: last textile/clothing import
quotas had just been phased out in 2004
• Traditional producers suffered from intensified
low-cost competition
• The EU-27 industry lost almost 800,000 jobs
between 2003-2008 (25% of the workforce), but
industrial turnover remains almost stable
The Industry is forced to undergo a dramatic
transformation process including painful
restructuring to maintain its competitiveness

5. EU Textile Research in 2004
Before launch of the ETP:
• EU 6th Framework Programme (FP6 – 2002-2006) focussing
on large-scale integrated projects
• Euratex R&D task force – meeting twice a year, distributing
some information, discussion with EU officials
• Textranet & AUTEX trying to coordinate FP6 response
• The first 2 years of FP6 (2002-2004) were a disaster for EU
textile research – many proposals, very few projects funded
June 2004: The EU Textile & Clothing High Level Group
recommends the set up of a European Technology Platform to
better coordinate EU T/C research & improve FP6 participation

6. Launch of the ETP
 October 2004 – Vision Document
 December 2004 – Launch event
with EU Commissioner Potočnik
 June 2005 – 1st ETP Governing
Council meeting
 Throughout 2005 – work on
Strategic Research Agenda (SRA)
 June 2006 – 1st annual conference –
launch of SRA

7. Original ETP Vision for EU T/C
Industry Future (2004)
Major Long-Term Industry Trends
 Move from commodities towards specialty products
from high-tech processes.
 Increased use of textiles as material of choice in many
sectors and application fields.
 Move towards customisation, personalisation, as well
as on-demand production.
Added in 2007
 Innovation in resource efficiency, low environmental-
impact technologies and promotion of consumer
health and safety in products.
Is it still valid today ?

8. 1. A look back to 2005
2. Where do we stand today?
(And how did we get here?)
3. Towards 2025 - looking into the future
4. Conclusions
Contents

9. T/C Industry Key Figures
EU-27, from 2003 to 2013
16
17
18 18
19
20
21
22
24.6
25.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
%
indices 2010=100
EXP/turnover (right axis) Turnover Value added/empl.
Turnover has
declined
Exports have
grown steadily
Value added per
employee has increased

10. Positive Developments
 Productivity is rising significantly, value added per employee
increased by 44 % in 10 years
 Over 10 years exports have been growing as fast as imports
 Even better, between 2010 & 2014 exports have grown by
about 30%, much faster than imports
 The industry is investing in new technology, production
efficiency, know how and creativity
 The technology and innovation content of textile & clothing
products is constantly rising
The need to deal with the 2008-09 financial crisis
and its economic aftermath further accelerated
the industry’s transformation efforts

11. Investment in Research & Innovation
 Industry invests in average around 1% of turnover in R&D – over
€ 15 billion in 10 years
 Investment in non-technological innovation, education &
training, creativity and intangible assets is much higher
 EU funded textile projects worth over € 250 million during 2005-
2014 – FP7 is a success for textile research
 National and regional programmes support:
 Collaborative research (universities, institutes + industry)
 Set-up of new or enlargement of existing textile research
infrastructures
 Foundation of many new textile innovation clusters across Europe
Policy makers realise that the Textile & Clothing sector has
significant future potential, despite its current difficulties

12. Support by the ETP
 ETP developed as THE gateway to EU textile
research networking & funding
 TEPPIES service for brokerage of EU project
ideas & consortium building
 Textile Flagships to explore most promising
textile innovation fields
 Many collaborations with other sectors &
Technology Platforms
Research community and industry now
work hand-in-hand for the benefit of
Textile Research & Innovation in Europe

13. 1. A look back to 2005
2. Where do we stand today? (And how did we
get here?)
3. Towards 2025 - looking into
the future
4. Conclusions
Contents

14. Our Vision Remains Valid
 High value-added specialty products and
high-tech manufacturing
 New textile applications
 Customisation, value-added services & new
business models
 Sustainability & resource efficiency
Will be the keys to future competitiveness of
the EU Textile & Clothing Industry

15. – Functionalised fibres and textiles for
specific end user needs
– Application of novel technologies for
fibre/filament formation
– Dry, flexible & energy-efficient textile
surface treatment technologies
– Advanced mechatronics and
digitalisation in textile manufacturing
Key Technologies for the next 10 years
Specialties & High-tech Processes

16. – High-performance fibres and textiles
materials for use in highly technical
applications or under extreme conditions
– New manufacturing technologies for
realisation of complex, multi-layered, 3D
shaped or multimaterial/hybrid textile and
composite structures
– Smart textiles for application in functional
interiors or smart wearable systems
Key Technologies for the next 10 years
New Textile Applications

17. ⁻ Rapid and realistic virtual modelling
and design of textile materials and
products
⁻ Greater application of digital, data
and Internet-based technologies
across the entire textile-fashion
value chain
⁻ Adoption of new business models
with attractive economics for SME’s
Key Technologies for the next 10 years
Customisation & New Business Models

18. ⁻ Novel process technologies which are less energy
and less water intensive also in small series
production
⁻ High-tech textile recycling for circular economy
concepts
⁻ Bio-chemistry based textile processing
⁻ Greater use of EU-origin natural & bio-mass
based fibres such as flax, hemp, European wool or
European agricultural and forestry resources,
waste or by-products
⁻ Substitutes for toxic/restricted textile materials &
auxiliaries (dyes, coatings, finishes and speciality
additives)
Key Technologies for the next 10 years
Sustainability & Resource Efficiency

19.  Access to collaborative RTD funding, more textile
opportunities in HORIZON 2020, more projects with
a clear end-market focus
 Access to innovation funding (grants for
demonstrations, pilot installations & competence
development + loans for new technology
investments, fiscal incentives)
 A local/regional support structure for SME’s
(technology & transfer centres, education & training
providers, clusters, smart & supportive authorities)
 Facilitated networking with innovation partners
beyond the national borders
 Education & training programmes for more young
professionals with relevant industry & innovation
relevant
RTD Support

20. 1. A look back to 2005
2. Where do we stand today? (And how did we
get here?)
3. Towards 2025 - looking into the future
4. Conclusions
Contents

21. Industry is becoming
 More innovative
 More high-tech
 More knowledge-intensive and less resource-intensive
Textile products are becoming
 Smarter
 More value-added
 More sustainable
Markets for textile products are becoming
 Broader (in terms of applications)
 Larger (on a global scale)
Textile Innovation until 2025
Clear Targets

22. www.textile-platform.eu
The Textile ETP
looks forward to an exciting
2nd decade of it’s life
supporting textile innovation in Europe
We are just getting started!