The Future of the Textile Industry
Various trends are emerging in the textile industry. The most prominent trends in the sector are novel fabrics and intelligent textiles. The textile industry is technologically advanced and capital-intensive. The need of the hour is to reduce waste in the pre-production and post-production stages of the textile industry.
Novel fabrics and intelligent textiles are the most impactful trends
Various research efforts have been undertaken to incorporate electronic functions into textiles. They include displays, lighting units, power generation systems, pressure sensors, and keyboards.
The textile industry is adopting digitalization to improve manufacturing performance. Advanced tools and advanced software facilitate this. This increases the user’s experience. This trend also promotes green materials. Moreover, it helps startups detect errors and predict production losses.
Bright fabrics can sense environmental conditions and react to stimuli in predetermined ways. These fabrics are designed with advanced materials and techniques. In addition, they can be woven or braided. They can also sense thermal and optical characteristics, respond to stimuli, and adjust the system’s functionality.
Intelligent textiles are expected to play an essential role in human society. They could be used to monitor health data, diagnose illness, provide therapy, and recommend treatments. They could also be used in virtual care settings outside of hospitals. The self-disinfectant property of intelligent textiles has wide-ranging applications in the healthcare field.
India’s textile industry needs to reduce waste from pre and post-production
During the manufacturing process, a lot of fabric is wasted. But the good news is that, with a proper estimate of fabric consumption, it is possible to cut down on waste. Also, efficient printing techniques can help to eliminate textile waste.
A study recently conducted by Fashion for Good has revealed the most comprehensive analysis of the Indian textile waste landscape. The study aims to map out the current infrastructure and build a foundation for zero leakage of textile waste into the environment.
The study explains the three key waste streams and maps the stakeholders involved. The study also provides information on the most appropriate technologies and strategies to deal with textile waste.
In addition to the study, two new projects have been launched to help the textile and apparel industry deal with waste. These include the Circular Apparel Innovation Factory and the Sorting for Circularity: India Project. Both projects aim to create sustainable solutions for India’s textile and apparel sector.
India’s textile industry lacks trade pact memberships
Despite India’s impressive growth rate, the country’s textile industry has faced challenges for years. The global economic crisis caused financial difficulties, layoffs, and less capacity utilization. In addition, the low-value focus of the industry has hindered innovation. In recent years, however, the industry has shown signs of the invention.
Besides, the global textile industry is a highly competitive sector. As a result, Indian textile companies have taken several measures to improve their competitiveness. These include increasing the import tax on textiles to protect the domestic industry.
Other initiatives include a scheme for integrated textile parks to create cluster models. The government has also endorsed the Integrated Wool Development Programme (IWDP), which aims to boost production in the wool sector. The initiative has a total outlay of Rs 1,300 crore.
India’s textile and apparel industry is projected to grow at 12 percent, or at least that’s what experts say. The domestic textile and apparel industry is expected to reach $350 billion by 2025.
India’s textile industry is technologically advanced and capital-intensive
India’s textile sector is highly fragmented and technologically obsolete compared to other major textile-producing countries. Therefore, investing in technological upgrades and promoting research and development is essential. In addition, the government should reduce levies on government-subsidized exports.
As a result, India’s textile sector faces significant challenges in the global market. The industry is faced with competition from neighboring countries and needs help to fulfill the requirements of the worldwide export market. It is, therefore, essential to invest in R&D and improve productivity.
The Indian textile industry uses synthetic fibers. This industry is also capital-intensive. The primary raw materials used in the industry are cotton. It accounts for 65 percent of the raw materials consumed by the sector.
The textile industry in India is primarily made up of small companies. These firms are too small to invest in advanced technologies. They also lack resources and economies of scale. These are factors that have lowered the competitiveness of Indian firms. In addition, the quality of the raw material used in the industry is poor.