Present Market and Growth of Technical Textiles:

According to a paper prepared by the Ministry of Textiles on technical textile industry, world market for technical Textiles products to around 23.77 million tonnes by 2010, worth $127 billion and among them India and China will be global demand growth driver for Asia. Asia's consumption for technical textiles products is expected to grow at 10,645,000 tons by 2010. This market is growing at approximately 4% CAGR. Particularly nonwoven products are expected register higher growth rate in Asia than the world market with 9.6 per cent per annum.

According to Mr. Andreas Lukas, Vice President of Andritz Kústers GmbH, in Asia like in nearly all other regions of the world the technical textiles market will grow considerably. The Asian textile industry also looks for differentiation in terms of adding value to products. Environmental engineering has become a key word and the textile machinery will grow exactly towards this focus, e.g. the filter media section. Not one special region or nation will benefit from this trend, but all companies that learn quickly to implement advanced production processes. This means comprehensive process know-how as well as access to excellent raw material and energy.

China is one of the important countries for technical textiles in Asia with the country accounting for approximately 50% of total spending in Asia. The demand is still growing at rate of 10 percent per year. Spending on nonwoven is growing at 30% a year. China is having more than 500-600 nonwovens manufacturing companies. Geographically most of this industry is concentrated at eastern party of China with greater presence in provinces like Guangdong. This region alone contributes 30% in nonwoven production with around 140-150 nonwovens producers present in the region with their high-tech lines. Other important provinces include Fujian, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Factors driving growth in demand mainly includes changes in lifestyle of Chinese society led by increasing consumerism. This increasing consumerism guides demand for technical textiles products such as Hygiene products and diapers, products for medical care and disposables. Also requirement is rising in wake of increasing demand for technical textiles products for infrastructural projects and in automobiles.

Other important Asian country is India. According to some industry experts estimations overall technical textiles market for India will grow at a rate of 10% which is $189 million by year 2007-08. Use of functional textiles in fields like Automotive, Medical uses, construction is already on the move.

In India demand for high-end nonwoven products is increasing in hygiene and medical textiles fields which are driving growth for Spunlace products. Amongst various types of Nonwovens Spunlace products has shown highest growth after 2003. According to INDA's estimation spunlace has is expected to grow at 30% in 2009 which was only 10% in 1994. Market size of India is approximately Rs. 25,000 crore by 2007-08. On an average India's growth in Technical textiles field is expected to be 13% annually. According to many experts in the field India is well positioned for developing its Technical textiles field as it has good spinning background and is moderately equipped in weaving and other field. Also Government of this country is positively involved in developing this promising field. According to Mr. Sheshadri Ram Kumar by 2035, the growth rate of the nonwoven and technical textile industry will be exponential. However, with the new government initiatives in India, like TUFs and Special Economic zones, the growth rate will be much faster.