Page 77 - TEXtalks September/October 2021

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Articles Harnessing the

Potential of Technical

Textiles in Pakistan footwear products e.g., interlinings, sewing thread, categories. In addition, there is a trade volume of

US$35.5 billion for technical fibers, yarns and fabrics.
insulating fibrefill and waddings.
In this sector, Pakistan exported goods worth US$7.0
• Buildtech is used in construction and architectural
applications such as for concrete reinforcement, million, which is 0.02 per cent of total volume.
Pakistan imported US$117.5 million of goods in this
Dr Yasir Nawab. Madeha Jabbar (National Textile University, Pakistan) Muhammad Abdullah. Sohail Ali Naqvi (WWF, Pakistan)
facade foundation, interior construction, insulation, sector as well.
noise prevention, visual protection, protection against
sun light and building safety. Conclusion
Total market of technical textiles is about US$211
• Agro-textiles are used in agricultural applications billion as of 2019. The exports of Pakistan are about
related to growing and harvesting of crops and US$454 million which is 0.215 per cent of the global
animals. They are also used in forestry, horticulture, market. At the same time Pakistan imports about
and animal and poultry rearing, including animal US$313 million of technical textiles. Pakistan plays a
clothing. major role in the Buildtech to cover global demand
and it tops in exports in the Protech category among
Technical textile products are used primarily for their technical textile categories. Pakistan has unique
technical performance and functional properties, strengths in sector of technical textiles. It is a great
whereas conventional textiles are used for the location for business due to cheap labor in labor
aesthetic and furnishing purposes. The demand for intensive process for example; knitting, weaving,
technical textiles is likely to gain traction across braiding, processing, and product development.
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 Pakistan houses a lot of small industries for low
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. quantity products manufacturing. There are also
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 large businesses with economies of scale that can
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 compete with global competitors. The industry in
(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 Pakistan is very diverse, with a broad range of
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 products that can meet the diverse local demand for
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 technical textiles. There is high local demand for
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 technical textiles in Pakistan, including, Medtech,
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 Clothtech and Buildtech, which is a significant
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. strength point that can support the growth of this
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 industry. Pakistan has a promising future in the export
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 of technical textiles. It holds a strategic geographic
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 location with proximity to main markets consuming
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 technical textiles such as China and India, in addition
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 emerging markets such as Arab Gulf countries and
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 Africa. It is an ideal procurement platform for
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. technical textiles, semi-processed and finished
Organization (ILO) conducted a study to explore and the construction of vehicles such as automobiles, engineering, soil sealing and drainage systems. products for European Union. There is a need to tap
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 this market to contribute towards the country’s
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 exports and ensure environmental compliance which
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 will contribute to the GSP+ status as well.

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