Page 76 - TEXtalks September/October 2021

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Articles Harnessing the

Potential of Technical

Textiles in Pakistan footwear products e.g., interlinings, sewing thread, c

US$35.5
insulating fibrefill and waddings.
In this
• Buildtech is used in construction and architectural
applications such as for concrete reinforcement, milli
Pakista
Dr Yasir Nawab. Madeha Jabbar (National Textile University, Pakistan) Muhammad Abdullah. Sohail Ali Naqvi (WWF, Pakistan)
facade foundation, interior construction, insulation,
noise prevention, visual protection, protection against
sun light and building safety. Conclus
Total m
• Agro-textiles are used in agricultural applications
related to growing and harvesting of crops and US$454
animals. They are also used in forestry, horticulture,
and animal and poultry rearing, including animal US$31
clothing. major r
and it
Technical textile products are used primarily for their
technical performance and functional properties, stren
whereas conventional textiles are used for the locatio
aesthetic and furnishing purposes. The demand for inte
technical textiles is likely to gain traction across b
Textile is the biggest industrial sector in Pakistan, innovative and versatile industry, serving a wide sports, climbing, and cycling. designed and manufactured for a medical Asia-Pacific countries. Mobiltech, Indutech and Pakist
which contributes 58 per cent to exports, 8.5 per cent range of end markets with less competition and application. They are generally used in bandages Sportech account for 52 per cent of the total market.
to the GDP and 45 per cent to the total employment higher added value compared to the conventional • Packtech are the packaging textiles used for bags, and sutures that are used for stitching the wounds. Europe and China together account for more than 50 lar
in the country. As per International Trade Center’s textiles. These attributes have led many countries to packaging sacks, containers, handbags, Flexible per cent of global technical textile production while
(ITC) export potential map, Pakistan has an untapped shift their textile industry from conventional to Intermediate Bulk Carriers (FIBC), wrappings for • Indutech are the industrial textiles used in different India accounts for approximately 5 per cent of the Pak
export potential of US$12.2 billion out of which technical textiles. The share of technical textiles in textile bales, carpets, durable papers, tea bags, and industries for functions such as separation and production. Contrary to conventional textiles with pro
untapped export potential of textile and clothing is Pakistan’s export is about 0.3 per cent against 2.4 other food and industrial product wrappings. filtration, transportation of materials and serving as cumulative annual growth rate of 1 per cent the techni
about US$7.0 billion. Pakistan’s exports are mainly per cent share in export of conventional textiles. substrates for abrasive sheets and other coated growth rate of technical textiles in the world is about
concentrated to USA (22 per cent) and European • Oekotech are the environmental textiles used in products. 4.6 per cent. The global technical textiles market is
Union (>40 per cent). With respect to its applications, technical textiles are environmental protection applications, such as floor expected to rise to US$220 billion by 2025. strengt
divided into 12 main categories: sealing, erosion protection, air cleaning, prevention • Hometech is used in manufacturing for many home Mobiltech is the biggest application segment of indust
Technical textile is performance textiles with an of water pollution, water cleaning, waste furnishing fabrics including carpet backings, curtains technical textiles with a US$42 billion value and 22 o
emerging market of US$200 billion. WWF-Pakistan’s • Protech are the protective textiles used for fire treatment/recycling, depositing area construction, and wall coverings. per cent share in the global market. It is followed by
project, International Labour and Environmental fighter clothing, bulletproof jackets for army and product extraction, and domestic water sewerage Indutech and Sportech with a share of US$30 billion te
Standards Application in Pakistan’s SMEs (ILES), police officers. They provide protection against plants. • Geotech are textile fabrics for support, drainage (16 per cent) and US$27 billion (14 per cent) to emer
funded by the European Union, and implemented in chemicals in industries, and against bacterial and and separation at/or below ground level, coastal respectively. These three categories account for 52 Af
collaboration with the International Labor blood pollution in hospitals. • Mobiltech is used in the transportation industry for engineering, earth and road construction, dam per cent of the total technical textiles market. tech
Organization (ILO) conducted a study to explore and the construction of vehicles such as automobiles, engineering, soil sealing and drainage systems. product
harness the potential of technical textiles in Pakistan. • Sportech are the sports textiles used mainly for railways, and ships. Pakistan’s export share in this volume is 0.25 per thi
The technical textile industry is one of the fastest making sportswear, including sports shoes and other • Clothtech includes functional textile products that cent, which is about US$448 million. At the same expor
growing industries in the world. It is a highly sports accessories for activities such as flying, sailing • Medtech includes all textile structures that are are most often invisible components in clothing and time Pakistan imports about US$196 million in these wi

September/October 2021 September/October 2021