• SPECIAL STORY : SPACE SUIT (THE BASIC PROTECTION)
• RAMKUMAR'S Corner
• New Generation Tensile Tester : C T T
• INNOVATION : THE KEY TO BOOST TEXTILE
• NATIONAL FOREIGN TRADE POLICY 2009-14 : HANDLOOM IS STILL HOPEFUL
• CORN FIBER : A new fiber on horizon
• ECO-TEXTILES : An Approach to Green Consumerism
• EXPORTERS RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH LABOURS A SPECIAL REFERENCE TO APPAREL INDUSTRIES IN TIRUPUR DISTRICT
• Textile New Projects
• Textile Statistics
• Career Opportunities

Technical textiles is the emerging area for investment in India. The potential of technical textile in India is still untapped. Technical textiles represents a multi-disciplinary field with numerous end use applications. The production of different items of technical textile industry has been slowly but steadily increasing in the country.

India currently consumes the products under all twelve categories, though not all of them are produced domestically. The percentage of indigenous production varies drastically across various products. India is a large producer of technical textiles products in Packtech, Clothtech, Hometech and Sportech segments, the products of which are primarily commodities.

Unlike the conventional textile industry in India which is highly export intensive, the technical textile industry is an import intensive industry. Many products like baby diapers, adult diapers, PP spunbound fabric for disposables, wipes, protective clothing, hoses, webbings for seat belts, etc. are imported to a very large extent.

As mentioned earlier, the products with high production levels in India with substantial exports are typically commodity products and are not very R&D intensive. These products include flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), tarpaulins, jute carpet backing, hessian, fishnets, surgical dressings, crop covers, etc.

Size of the units manufacturing the products also varies to a large extent. There is significant number of small scale units manufacturing technical textile products; this segment is highly unorganised in nature. Although there are various large players present, the production of certain goods is still concentrated in the small scale segment like canvas tarpaulin, carpet backing, woven sacks, shoe laces, soft luggage, zip fasteners, stuffed toys, fabrication of awnings, canopies and blinds, etc.

As per the ministry of textiles the current market size including domestic consumption and exports of technical textile in India is estimated to be around Rs 39,876 crores. The overall technical textile industry in India is expected to grow at the rate of 11% year on year and reach a market size of Rs 66,405 crores by the year 2012-13. The current technical textile consumption in India is estimated to be around Rs 37,118 crores which is estimated to increase to Rs 62,438 crores by the year 2012-13.

In this issue our special story is on Space Suit (The basic protection) which will review various types of spacesuits and different fabric required for the manufacturing of the same.

TEXTILE REVIEW wishes HAPPY DIWALI to all the readers.