Technical textiles are high performance textiles thatrequire special functionality. The market of technical textiles is significantand expanding as the products are being put to an ever-increasing number of enduses in various industries such as agriculture, clothing, construction, healthcare, transportation, packaging, sports, environmental protection, protectivewear and many more although technical textiles have attracted considerableattention, the use of fibers, yarns and fabrics for applications other thanclothing and furnishing is not new phenomenon. What is relatively new is agrowing recognition of the economic and strategic potential of such textiles tothe fiber and fabric manufacturing and processing industries. In some of themost 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 complexone stretching from the manufacturers of polymers for technical fibers, coatingand specialty membranes, through the converters and fabricators who incorporatetechnical textiles into finished products and use them as an essential part oftheir industrial operations.

There are no easy paths to success since manufacturers stillface the challenge of making economic returns commensurate with the risksinvolved in operating new and complex market. There is constant need to developfresh products and applications, invest in new processes and equipments andmarket to an increasingly diverse range of customers. There is continualerosion of the barriers between traditional definition of textiles andtechnical textiles. An appreciation of the development and potential oftechnical textile markets therefore starts with some clarification of theevolving terminology and definitions of the scope of the industry and markets.

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Aboutthe Authors :

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