While talking about Opportunities and Business Strategies in Textiles: The Role of Man-made Fibres, Mr. Purvis shared that 73 million tonnes of fibres were used in textiles in 2010. Polyester, at 34 million tonnes, led in world consumption, and its lead is widening in 2011 due to the possibility of engineering the fibres:

  • A wide range of fibres, each with its own characteristics
  • High performance/cost ratio
  • Versatility
  • Durability and resistance to degradation

What is needed is a good environmental story. Fibre producers should show low energy and water usage in processing and use, emission controls, recycling, durability, and safety of the product. Responsible man-made fibre producers need to demonstrate this.

Lastly, he concluded the talk by saying that the global man-made fibres market will continue to grow more quickly than the world economy. The main drivers will be increasing population, economic growth, consumer aspirations, new applications, growing car ownership, and infrastructure projects. The competition in fibres and textiles will be even more intense than now.

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This presentation was presented at World Textile Conference: Vision: Textiles 2020: Emerging New Opportunities Worldwide and Challenging Business Strategies held on May 06th & 07th, 2011, at Mumbai; organized by The Textile Association, India.

The presenter Mr. Colin Purvis is associated with CIRFS: European Man-made Fibres Association, Brussels.