Unlike the textiles used for apparel or furnishings, technical textiles do not give importance to aesthetics. Instead, technical textiles emphasize on functionality, and they usually display some type of special characteristic including insulation, and fire-resistance among others. Technical textiles find widespread application in numerous industries ranging from automotive to agriculture. These textiles can also be used in construction, home design, sports, packaging, medicine, eco-protection and more.
Eco-Protection Technical Textiles Gain Increased Demand
Technical textiles that are used for environmental protection purposes are commonly known as ecological protection textiles or oekotech. Primary applications include products for treating oil spills, recycling schemes, and minimizing erosion. With the increasing encroachment of the human people into previously wild areas, this type of technical textiles is expected to witness a high rate of demand in the years to come.
Environmental sustainability is being emphasized by businesses of all kinds these days, and is a major challenge that must be overcome by the worldwide textile sector. On the other hand, the rising usage of technical textiles for environmental protection purposes such as waste treatment/recycling and waste water treatment is generating revenue, while contributing towards environmental sustainability. The ever growing number of environmental protection projects in the time ahead is anticipated to increase the growth of the oekotech textile sector.
On the other hand, as per a recent study conducted by Future Market Insights on the global technical textile market, the rise of the textile sector and the overall use of technical textiles in major economies around the world has relatively slowed. This reduced activity can be attributed to the dragging economic growth developing economies including Brazil and Russia.
Innovations in Medical Textiles Result in Rapid Increase in Adoption
Technical textiles that are used for medical purposes are known as medical textiles. Primary uses of such applications include drapes, surgical gowns, sanitary napkins, sutures, woven, knit, diapers, sterile packaging, and nonwoven wound care. Increasing use of surgical equipment, and relevant clothes and dressings also take the comfort of patients into mind in addition to functionality.
Moreover, medical textile producers have been increasingly emphasizing on the improvement of existing products in addition to the development of new products, to identify new materials for use with better designs. Innovative new medical textiles have been developed for uses such as minimally invasive surgical procedures, infection control, and faster rates of healing.
For example, antimicrobial, bi-directional barbed sutures, produced from polypropylene and nylon are under development which minimizes the risk of bacterial infections, and tissue distortion without compromising on knot strength and even distribution of holding forces.
Medical textiles have been finding increasing use in complex procedures such as vascular implants. The primary use of vascular implants that comprise of a graft and stent, is to function in the place of diseased arteries. Modern artificial graft that are used in vascular implants display highly desirable properties such as improved porosity, biodegradability, and compliance to the latest regulations, which have to be met during the production of medical textiles that are classified as implantable surgical textiles.
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