1-1: Technical Textiles

Technical textiles have never been a single coherent industry sector and market segment.
With the advancements of smart concepts and nano-technologies, it is developing in many
different directions with varying speeds and levels of success. There is continual erosion of the
barriers between traditional definitions of textiles and other ‘flexible engineering’ materials such
as paper and plastics, films and membranes, metals, glass and ceramics.(1)
Technical textiles are used individually or as a component part of another product. They
are used individually to satisfy specific functions such as fire retardant fabric for uniforms of
firemen and coated fabric to be used as awnings. As a component or part of another product, they
are used to enhance the strength, performance or other functional properties of that product as
done by the tyre cord fabrics in tyres and interlining in shirt collars. They are also used as
accessories in processes to manufacture other products like filter fabric in food industry or paper
maker felt in paper mills.(2)

There is an extensive range of raw materials, processes, products and applications

encompassed within the technical textile industry, making it an industry with a wide spread of
capabilities. The defining characteristics of technical textiles are that they have very high
physical and/or chemical property specifications and are typically used in applications where a
high level of end-use performance is required. (3)

The sector of technical textile has experienced a spectacular increase during last years.
Table (1-1) summarises the forecasts for world technical textiles consumption 1995-2010 in
volume terms, split by application area. (4)

Table (1-1): Forecast world technical textile consumption by application area, 1995-2010, Volume
(000 tons) (4)
*CAGR: Compound annual growth rate
Note: Oekotech volumes are already part of other application areas and are relatively very small at present

1-1-1: Definition of technical textiles

The definition of technical textiles adopted by the authoritative Textile Terms and
Definitions, published by the Textile Institute, is ‘textile materials and products manufactured
primarily for their technical and performance properties rather than their aesthetic or
decorative characteristics’. Such a brief description clearly leaves considerable scope for
interpretation, especially when an increasing number of textile products are combining both
performance and decorative properties and functions in equal measure. (2)
1-1-2: Application of technical textiles

For many years, the term ‘industrial textiles’ was widely used to encompass all textile
products other than those intended for apparel, household and furnishing end-uses. Industrial
textiles are now more often viewed as a subgroup of a wider category of technical textiles,
referring specifically to those textile products used in the course of manufacturing operations
(such as filters, machine clothing, conveyor belts, abrasive substrates etc.) or which are
incorporated into other industrial products (such as electrical components and cables, flexible
seals and diaphragms, or acoustic and thermal insulation for domestic and industrial appliances).
(1)

Depending on the product characteristics, functional requirements and end-use

applications the highly diversified range of technical textile products have been grouped into 12
sectors application wise (5) , shown in figure (1-1).
 Fig. (1-1) Technical Textile cycle (6)

1-1-2-1: Agriculture Textile (agrotech)

Applications for technical textiles in the Agrotech sector include all activities concerned
with the growing and harvesting of crops and animals. End-uses range from crop production,
through forestry and horticulture, to animal and poultry rearing and fishing (7) , shown in figure
(1-2)

The essential properties required are Strength, elongation, stiffness, porosity, bio-
degradation, resistance to sunlight and resistance to toxic environment.

Agriculture is also an important user of products from other end-use sectors such as
geotextiles for drainage and land reclamation, protective clothing for employees who have to
handle sprays and hazardous equipment, transport textiles for tractors and Lorries, conveyor
belts, hoses, filters and composite reinforcements in the construction of silos, tanks and piping.(1)
 Fig. (1-2) Agrotech Textile

1-1-2-2: Construction-building and roofing (Buildtech)

The scope of buildtech covers any textiles or composite material used in the construction
of permanent and temporary buildings as well as structures. (8)

The major products covered under buildtech are hoardings /signages, scaffoldings net,
awnings / canopies, tarpaulins. Shown in figure (1-3)

Textiles are increasing their market share in construction and architectural application,
where their mechanical properties are equal, or often superior to traditional material. They offer
desired characteristics such as lightness, strength and resilience as well as resistance to many
factors such as defamation, creep, degradation by chemicals and pollutants in the air, rain or
other construction material as well as the effects of sunlight & acid. (2)

Fig. (1-3) Buildtech Textile

1-1-2-3: Clothing Components (Clothtech)

The Clothtech segment of technical textiles majorly comprises of textile components

used for specific functional applications in garments and shoes. These components are largely
hidden e.g. interlinings in shirts, sewing threads, shoe laces, labels, etc. Fabrics like umbrella
cloth are also classified under the Clothtech segment (8) , shown in figure (1-4)
 Fig. (1-4) Clothtech Textile

1-1-2-4: Geotextile in civil engineering (Geotech)

Geotextiles are a permeable textiles used in conjunction with soils or rocks, as an integral
part of a man-made project. (7)

Geotextiles are defined as all woven, nonwoven and knitted textile materials used to
provide a range of functions such as support, drainage and separation at or below ground level.
Geotextiles are used in a wide range of applications including the construction of buildings,
bridges, dams, roads, railways and paths as well as embankments and sub-sea coastal
engineering projects. (9) , shown in figure (1-5)

Strength, extension, durability, low moisture absorption, puncture resistance, thickness,

good hydraulic properties and transmission properties, biological heat and chemical resistance
are the essential properties for the Geo textiles. (10)

Fig. (1-5) Geotech Textile

1-1-2-5: Home textile (Hometech)

Technical textiles play an essential role in the construction of many household textiles,
furnishings and floor coverings. Applications include carpet backings, curtain tapes, fiberfill and
waddings for furniture and mattresses. (9) Shown in figure (1-6)

Textile and composites used in the furniture, upholstery and interior furnishing, carpets,
floor coverings. Depends on the environment and place, the selection of the fiber and fabric has
to be made. (10)

In the field of household textiles and furnishing and especially in the use of loose fibres
in wadding and fibrefill applications. Hollow fibres with excellent insulating properties are
widely used in bedding and sleeping bags. Other types of fibre are increasingly being used to
replace foams in furniture because of concern over the fire and health hazards posed by such
materials. (1)
 Fig. (1-6) Hometech Textile

1-1-2-6: Industrial textiles (Indutech)

Industrial textiles includes textiles used directly in industrial processes or incorporated

into industrial products such as filters, conveyor belts and abrasive belts, as well as
reinforcements for printed circuit boards, seals and gaskets, and other industrial equipment. (8) As
shown in figure (1-7) . High strength, shape retention, abrasion resistance and good UV
resistance are required properties for Industrial textiles.(6)

Fig. (1-7) Indutech Textile

1-1-2-7: Medical textiles (Medtech)

The scope of meditech embraces all textile materials used in health and hygiene
applications in both consumer and medical markets. Depending on the nature of application,
many medical products are disposable and made out of nonwoven fabrics. (2)

Nonwovens dominate these applications which account for over 23% of all nonwoven
use, the largest proportion of any of the 12 major markets for technical textiles. (1)

The surgical gown, operating room garments and drapes require special antibacterial
properties combined with the wearer’s comfort. Other major uses of medical textiles are
incontinence diapers, sanitary napkins and baby diapers. Wound dressing, bandages and swabs
are also widely used conventional medical textiles. Textiles are also being used as sutures,
orthopaedic implants, vascular grafts, artificial ligaments, artificial tendons, heart valves and
even as artificial skins. Recent advances in medical textiles to be used as extracorporeal devices
are also significant; these include artificial kidney, artificial liver, mechanical lungs etc. (2) Shown
in figure (1-8)
 Fig. (1-8) Medtech Textile

1-1-2-8: Ecological protection textile (Oektech)

Oektech is technical textiles for protection of the environment and ecology. This is not a
well defined segment yet, although it overlaps with several other areas, including industrial
textiles (filtration media), geotextiles (erosion protection and sealing of toxic waste) and
agricultural textiles (e.g. minimising water loss from the land and reducing the need for use of
herbicides by providing mulch to plants). (9)
1-1-2-9: Packaging and containment (Packtech)

Pack Tech includes all textile packing material for industrial, agricultural and other
goods. It ranges from heavy weight woven fabrics used for bags, sacks, wrappings for textiles
bales and carpets etc. to light weight nonwoven used as durable papers, bags for tea and coffee as
well as other food and industrial product wrappings.(2) Shown in figure (1-9)

A powerful driver of the development and use of textiles in this area is increasing
environmental concern over the disposability and recycling of packaging materials.

Fig. (1-9) Pachtech Textile

1-1-2-10: Protective and safety clothing and textile (Protech)

Protective textiles are a part of technical textiles that are defined as comprising all those
textile-based products which are used principally for their performance or functional
characteristics rather than their aesthetic or decorative characteristics. (4)
The protective clothing covers garments and accessories intended to protect people from
dangerous or hazardous materials, processes or events encountered either during the course of
their work or during leisure activities. (2)

The variety of protective functions that needs to be provided by different textile products
is considerable and diverse. It includes protection against cuts, abrasion, ballistic and other types
of severe impact including stab wounds and explosions, fire and extreme heat, hazardous dust
and particles, nuclear, biological and chemical hazards, high voltages and static electricity, foul
weather, extreme cold and poor visibility. (9) As shown in figure (1-10)
 Fig. (1-10) Protech Textile (4)

1-1-2-11: Sport and leisure (Sporttech)

Increasing worldwide interest and participation in active sports and outdoor leisure
pursuits have resulted in strong historical growth in the consumption of textile materials in
sporting and related goods and equipment. Synthetic fibres and coatings have largely replaced
traditional cotton fabrics and other natural fibres. (5)

Sporttech applications are diverse and range from artificial turf used in sports surfaces
through to advanced carbon fibre composites for racquet frames, fishing rods, golf clubs and
cycle frames. Other highly visible uses are fabrics, parachute and paraglider fabrics and sailcloth.
(1)
Shown in figure (1-11)

Fig. (1-11) Sporttech Textile

1-1-2-12: Transport textile (Mobiltech)

Transport applications (cars, Lorries, buses, trains, ships and aerospace) represent the
largest single end-use area for technical textiles. (9) some of the textile components used in
automobiles are visible while the others are concealed. These are as follows:

(i) Visible components – upholstery, carpets, seat belts, headliners etc.

(ii) Concealed components – tyre cords, hoses, belts, air bags, air and fuel filters, noise and
vibration dampening and body panel reinforcement in composites etc. (2) As shown in figure (1-
12)
 Fig. (1-12) Mobiltech Textile

: ‫المراجع‬

1 - A R Horrocks and S C Anand, “HANDBOOK OF TECHNICAL TEXTILES”, Wood head

Publishing Ltd and CRC Press LLC, 2000

2- Udyog Bhavan, “REPORT OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL

TEXTILES”, vol.1, Government of India Ministry of Textiles, July 2004

3-Verity-Gay Hardy, “Design and Construction of Smart Structures for Technical Textiles”
PH.D, Leeds university, school of design, 2008, P. 3:4

4- Richard A. Scott, “Textiles for protection”, Wood head Publishing Ltd and CRC Press LLC,
2005, P.33

5- David Rigby Associates, “Technical textiles and Industrial Nonwoven: World market
forecasts to 2010”, 2003

6- Heba Khamees, “Achieving Optimum functional properties for producing automotive airbags
fabrics” PH.D, Helwan University, Applied Arts, 2013

7- Abeer Dawoud, “Design the fabric construction of geotextile used in landscape and gardens”
PH.D, Helwan University, Applied Arts, 2009

8- ICRA, Final Report Baseline survey of the technical textile industry in India, 2009, p. 29&32,
available online at www. technotex.gov.in/ (june 2015)

9- Fawzy Saied Sherif, A New Prospects to Enhance the Commercial and Economical Status in
Textile Industry, International Design Journal, Volume 6, Issue 1,2016 , p. 141:148
10- Chidambaram Rameshkumar, “Technical Textiles: An
Overview”http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industryarticle/pdffiles/technical-textiles-an-over-
view.pdf, May 2015