India has potential to be global manufacturing hub
AITEX is a leading Spanish centre for research, innovation and advanced technical services for the textile, manufacturing and technical textile sectors. It is a private non-profit association and institute that promote modernisation and the introduction of new and emerging technologies by developing R&D projects and initiatives that contribute to the industrial progress of the sector. The Country Manager for AITEX India, Kunwar Venkteshwar Singh, discusses activities and projects being organised for Indian textile manufacturers.
In the area of certification and laboratory, what services are provided by AITEX?
AITEX provides almost all types of testing related to textiles and technical textiles. It has the biggest set up as laboratory in Spain, and provides below certification:
- Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex
- STeP by Oeko-Tex
- MySTeP by Oeko-Tex
- Made in Green by Oeko-Tex
- ECO PASSPORT by Oeko-Tex
- UV Standard 801
- Made for Health
- Certificate of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal capability
- Kawabata certificate
- Certificate of Comfort
- Certificate of individual protection
- Certificate of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)
What are the activities of AITEX in the Indian/South Asian markets? How does the market affect your institution?
AITEX provides quality assurance services for all kind of technical textile products, i.e. automotive textiles, medical textiles, personal protective clothing, geotextiles and sport textiles, etc. AITEX has been providing services of certification of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Indian manufacturers for electrostatic and electrical protection, thermal protection, high visibility protection, chemical protection, mechanical and ballistic protection. Testing and certification requirements are directly proportional to the market conditions. Whenever there is a slowdown in the requirement from Europe, testing and certification requirements also go down. But research and development in textile is a continuous programme at the institution since it is the need of the hour.
What are the current projects of AITEX India? What benefits will those accrue?
The technical textile market in India is expected to grow at 12 per cent CAGR between 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. AITEX in India is mainly focusing on the three important sectors of technical textiles: protective textiles, medical textiles and automotive textiles. Protective textiles manufactured in India are mainly exported to Europe, or the other markets like the Middle-East and Australia where European standards are followed. Therefore, Indian manufacturers of protective textiles need some notified body which can provide them CE certificate to their garments, and here AITEX works very closely with manufacturers to provide all testing and certification services.
Tell us about the training module designed for companies. Also, enlighten us about the recent modifications in the training module with respect to sustainability.
The new courses are aimed at entrepreneurs, designers, creative directors, product managers, and executives in the textile, clothing and fashion sectors who are interested in knowing the benefits of sustainability management in business and acquire skills and tools for devising action plans to implement sustainability. AITEX began the course for students interested in acquiring a specialised profile in the textile, apparel and fashion industries. Through the content and methodology approach, the course would help entrepreneurs to devise and strategise management knowledge services and action plans in order to implement solutions with maximum efficiency catering to the specific needs of their company. The course includes topics such as: 'Why be sustainable?', 'What is sustainability and eco-design?', 'The textiles and clothing consumer', 'Technology innovation and sustainable Textiles' and 'Sustainability management in textile enterprises'.
What is the scope for technical textiles in India and other South Asian countries?
As you see we have reached a saturation point in traditional textiles, and it is become difficult for manufacturers to survive now, and therefore everybody is looking towards technical textiles, which is the future of textiles. India is expected to play a key role in the technical textile market with consumers spending more on home textiles, sportswear products and medical textiles.
Technical textiles also provide new opportunities to the Indian textiles industry to have a long-term sustainable future. Globally, technical textile constitutes 29 per cent of overall textiles industry. And in some of the western countries they have a 50 per cent share. In India, the share is a meagre 10 per cent. But India can be positioned as a manufacturing hub for technical textiles. As India is growing faster in manufacturing medical textiles and is going to become a manufacturing hub for textiles used in medicals like surgical dressings, wipes, baby diapers, sanitary napkins, etc.
What type of services does AITEX India offer to Indian companies? How do they differ from services offered by AITEX to European companies?
AITEX India provides various testing and certification services to Indian manufacturers. In India, we are working as quality assurance partners for Elcorte Ingles and Mango and we provide testing services for all their products, i.e, apparel, home textiles, accessories and leather items. Also, we provide testing and certification for all kind of technical textiles manufactured in India. But requirements for testing and certification for protective clothing is tremendous. AITEX is also providing Oekotex certification services to Indian manufacturers for all kinds of textiles items and leather. And we have recently started to work on Detox to Zero, which deals with the discharge of harmful and toxic chemicals. AITEX provides similar services to all customers in Europe and India, but as European companies are more concerned about the standards, regulations and environment whereas in India we are still looking for some significant steps in many directions.
Can you elaborate on the research undertaken by AITEX in the textiles and technical textiles sectors?
AITEX participates in national projects of industrial research of strategic character, great dimension and long reach. These actions have the support of national calls for public aid. The institute participates in the European research system, coordinating and participating in research, innovation and industrial demonstration projects of a strategic, large and far-reaching nature within programmes such as the 7th Framework Programme, Eureka, LIFE +, Leonardo, TempuS, CIP eco-innovation, H2020, Interreg, ENPI, European Defense Agency, among others.
The institute is involved in the R&D of surface finishing techniques for new-generation textiles to provide them with advanced properties and functions, and the development of textile solutions applied to health and hygiene, sports and comfort and the environment.
AITEX develops textile materials for use in biomedicine and biotechnology, and the institute's work on biomedical applications brings it into close collaboration with health research institutes and hospitals, and our attention is focused on biomaterials destined for fields such as tissue engineering, slow-release of pharmaceuticals, prosthetics and dressings. AITEX is constantly working on the development of R+D+I projects related to biotechnology and its uses in textile products and processes in the fields of cosmetics, natural products and the encapsulation of active compounds.
The institute is fully equipped with all the experimental plant and necessary infrastructure to develop the various lines of research. Nanotechnology and technical fibres for the development of products and industrial processes for the use of nanotechnology helps in the development of enhanced textiles with a range of technical properties which include anti-bacterial, fungicidal, hydrophobic, hydrophilic and nano-coated fabrics. There are also thermally resistant, conductive, anti-static, breathable, high-strength, bulletproof and camouflaged fabrics and those which have been sensitised to create smart textiles.
The institute is working on the development of new composite products. Composites are widely used in a variety of industrial sectors including the automotive and aeronautics industries, construction, marine architecture and sports and represent an important alternative to traditional materials such as steel, aluminum and wood. Creating technological solutions from composite materials is now within the reach of many manufacturers and there is a growing demand for those.
Composite materials combine high-strength and low-density with excellent corrosion resistance and provide industrial design engineers with a highly versatile material. The use of bio-composites from renewable resources using natural fibres and vegetable oil-based polymers represents an important sustainable alternative to the more traditionally-used petrochemical-based composites. With respect to sustainability, a wide variety of innovative products are now becoming available made from natural compounds and they are fast becoming a viable alternative to synthetic reinforcing fibre, particularly in the automotive and building industries.
What are your expectations regarding the growth of the global technical textiles sector?
Development and industrialisation are the main drivers for the demand of technical textile products in any country. In 2015, the global technical textile market was valued at around $153 billion. On the back of strong demand, the market is estimated to reach $194 billion by 2020, with global consumption expected to surpass 40 million tonnes.
How big is your R&D team? What are its objectives?
The main focus of AITEX Spain is on research and development in traditional textiles and technical textiles. There is a team of around 100 people who work on R&D in various dimensions and sectors of textiles. This team deals with various projects from the industry and for associations. The main objective of this team is to find a sustainable solution and develop new technologies for the improvement of the textiles industry. Some of the research group working at AITEX:
- Technical finishing, health, comfort, sports and the environment
- Biotechnology applied to textile products and processes
- Fashion design and clothing
- Nanotechnology applied to textiles
- New materials and sustainable products
- Smart textiles and ICT solutions
- Several other research groups.
What has your growth story been in the last five years?
In past few years, AITEX has come up as one-point contact for textile manufacturers for all kind of their needs related to textile testing, mainly technical textiles. And now, AITEX is acting as a leader in the testing and certification services for protective clothing for all manufacturers of India. We work for all big manufacturers of FR fabrics and garments.
What does AITEX India plan to achieve in the next two years?
AITEX India is planning to focus more on the demand of testing and certification of technical textiles, as India is growing faster in technical textiles and the government is also having numerous plans to support the technical textile industry in India. Therefore, the demand is going to increase for R&D, testing and certification in technical textiles. AITEX also looks forward on educating manufacturers about the effect of the textiles industry on environment and guide them, besides providing them various services like Oekotex certification, Detox to Zero, ECO PASSPORT and other services related to sustainability.
What is the kind of private-government-association collaboration required to further textile research in India - a field, I believe, we are lagging behind in?
There are many challenges like lack of raw material, lack of technological support, lack of technical people, and lack of consumer awareness in the use of technical textiles. For the development of the technical textiles industry, we still need support from industry and government. Working on various projects of R&D, it is required to have all facilities and capabilities. Although, the government has made many centres of excellence for R&D in technical textiles, but still we need more capabilities there. Industry support is very much required here for textile research. AITEX is always open for any collaboration and working with associations and government for R&D projects in India.
