Global demand rising for technical textiles

As new applications and markets are discovered for technical textiles, growth in the industry is likely to be strong—5 percent per year, according to the latest issue of Technical Textile Markets from publisher Textiles Intelligence, Rockville, Md. The automotive, construction, environment, energy and medical sectors may see the most growth in technical textile demand. In vehicle construction, carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) create tough but lightweight components that lighten the load and increase fuel efficiency. A global boom in infrastructure will require reinforcing geotextiles. Rotor blades for wind farms made of CFRPs are becoming an industry standard, and it is an industry that is growing. Filtration textiles can remove pollutants and impurities from drinking water systems. And in the health care sector, technical textile products range from absorbable sutures to artificial implants to personal care products.