China Leads Technical Textiles Market

As the technical textiles market continues to grow, China is expected to remain its leader and meet most of the demand from countries in the US and Europe. That’s according to the latest research from business networking platform, BizVibe.

The global technical textiles industry was estimated to be worth US$142bn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$165bn by 2019. The vast majority of technical textiles come from Asia-Pacific, which accounts for a share of almost half of the global technical textiles market. China is said to be the largest producer of both woven and nonwoven technical textiles in the region, and is currently responsible for 30% of global production.

China’s dominance

According to BizVibe, China’s technical textiles future is bright. A large workforce, strong domestic market and the advancements that it has experienced in textile technology makes the country a very strong competitor in the global industry. Despite setbacks in terms of reduced textile exports, these qualities have allowed China to continue to thrive in this area.

China’s leading position is followed by the Americas with 19% of global production, India with 18%, the EU with 16%, and the rest of the world with 17%. However, most of these regions lack the same benefits China has. For example, Chinese textile factories typically have more employees and equipment than Indian ones; on average, the size of Chinese textile companies is five times larger than companies in India.

Medical textiles are currently leading China’s technical textiles industry, accounting for a large portion of the country’s technical textiles exports to countries in Europe and the Americas. This is largely due to the growing need for more effective sterilisation, sanitation and protection against bacteria in healthcare settings in three regions, as well as the increasing use of medical technical textiles in biophysical monitoring systems, patient tracking devices and other innovative applications in the healthcare industry.

Change in India

BizVibe also states that India’s textile and apparel industry is subject to ongoing change, innovation and growth as new technologies, trends and practices take hold in the country. Like China, the future of India’s industry looks very promising, with healthy growth rates expected for most segments.

India’s textile and apparel market was worth roughly US$108.5bn in 2015, and is expected to reach US$226bn by 2023. Its technical textiles industry is growing at a fast pace, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6% between 2014 and 2023.

In addition, India accounts for roughly 14% of the world’s production of textile yarns and fibres. It is said to be the world’s largest producer of jute, second largest producer of silk and cotton, and the third largest of cellulosic fibre. The readymade garment sector is currently the largest contributor to India’s total textile and apparel exports, accounting for roughly 41%, says BizVibe.

India’s fast growth rate has been boosted by government initiatives, including its recent establishment of 75 apparel training and design centres across India to improve technical skills and offer training.