Global Technical Textiles Industry

 February 2020 •

 704 pages •

 Report ID: 3180719 •

 Format: PDF

Technical Textiles market worldwide is projected to grow by US$62.7 Billion, driven by a

compounded growth of 5%. Woven, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study,
displays the potential to grow at over 4.9%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth
makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the
market. Poised to reach over US$86.4 Billion by the year 2025, Woven will bring in healthy
gains adding significant momentum to global growth.

- Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 3.8% growth
momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world
economy, Germany will add over  US$2.2 Billion to the region’s size and clout in the next 5
to 6 years.  Over US$6.1 Billion worth of projected demand in the region will come from
Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Woven will reach a market size of US$2.6 Billion by the
close of the analysis period. As the world’s second largest economy and the new game
changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 7.3% over the next couple
of years and add approximately US$16.6 Billion in terms of addressable opportunity for the
picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders. Presented in visually rich graphics
are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of
strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio.
Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and
development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and
the Middle East. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements
from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies.

Jute geo-textile & its prospect in

Bangladesh
September 1, 2010
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In the prefix of geo-textile, geo means earth and the ‘textile’ means fabric. Geo-textiles
are the most versatile and cost-effective ground modification materials. It is a special
type of technical textile which is used in foundation, soil, rock, earth, or any other
geotechnical engineering material in human made project, structure or system. Their
use has expanded rapidly into nearly all areas of civil, geotechnical, environmental,
coastal, and hydraulic engineering. Earlier, all the geo-textiles were manufactured by
synthetic fiber. But this is harmful for the environment. For the eco-frindly properties, the
natural fiber geo-textile getting popularity. jute geo-textile (geo-jute) is one of the most
popular natural geo-textile. The popularity of jute geo-textile in the world market is
increasing day by day due to its eco-friendly characteristics.  Bangladesh is one of the
biggest jute producing country. So Bangladesh has a great chance to earn a lot of
money by exporting jute geo-textile. But most of the jute processing industries are
exporting raw jute, jute yarn and jute packaging material. The export earning can be
increased several times by exporting geo-jute within same raw material with significant
value addition.

Geo-textiles in world market:

Geo-textile is one of the most rapidly growing sectors. In comparing with the other
technical textiles, the annual growth rate of geo-textiles is very high. During the period
2000-2005 the rate of growth was 4.6% and during2005-2010 the rate is 5.3%.The table
given bellow indicates the world consumption of all technical textiles and their annual
growth rate. From this table it is clear that the growth rate of Geo-textiles is the highest.

Table:  World Consumption of technical textile, 1995-2010, volume (tons)

 Years Compound Annual Growth R

Application Area 1995 2000 2005 2010 95-00 00-05

Argotic 1,173 1,381 1,615 1,958 3.3% 3.2%

Buildtech 1,261 1,648 2,033 2,591 5.5% 4.3%

Clothtec 1,072 1,238 1,413 1,656 2.9% 2.7%

Geotech 196 255 319 413 5.4% 4.6%

Hometech 1,864 2,186 2,499 2,853 3.2% 2.7%

Indutech 1,846 2,205 2,624 3,257 3.6% 3.5%

Medtech 1,228 1,543 1,928 2,380 4.7% 4.6%

Mobiltech 2,117 2,479 2,828 3,338 3.2% 2.7%

Packtech 2,189 2,552 2,990 3,606 3.1% 3.2%

Protech 184 238 279 340 5.3% 3.3%

Sporttech 841 989 1,153 1,382 3.3% 3.1%

Totals 13,971 16,714 19,683 23,774 3.7% 3.3%

Source: David Rigby Associates

Geo-Textiles & the environment

Now a day’s environment and ecological sustainability become one of the prime issues
in the modern development strategy. Without positive environmental and ecological
sustainability product becomes obsolete. No benefit can be harnessed from this type of
technology whatever big achievement it may be.

Geo-textiles are not new technology. But their modern uses have started with the
advancement of synthetic and polymeric products and their ever increasing applications
in different forms and areas of civil engineering are not very old. At the beginning
synthetic geo-textile materials were mostly popular. Synthetic geo-textiles are made of
polymers and plastics. Hydro-carbons, petro-chemicals, fossils are the basic raw
materials for their production. All green house gases and effects are somehow related
with their manufacturing which causes acid rain, deforestation, desertification, depletion
in ozone layer and biodiversity, warming of earth, rising of sea water level etc.  During
their manufacturing process various plasticizers, fillers, sensitizes, stabilizers,
antioxidants etc. are to be compounded for effective product development. These
additive materials are more hydrolysable and have got properties from alkaline to acidic
in nature. Moreover, non-destructible nature of these synthetic geo-textiles has direct
effect on soil, water, air and other biotic and a biotic system. Again these geo-textiles
often come in contract with life cycles of animals, fisher, insects, and pest along with
various micro organisms and create imbalance in their natural conditions of life leading.

                    Synthetic
geo bag laid alongside the Cox’sbazar to Teknaf marine drive not successful in all the
places to protect that.
On the other hand jute geo-textile is biodegradable and eco-friendly. In the
manufacturing process of jute geo-textile no harmful chemical is used.  So it is not
harmful for the environment. After a certain period the jute geo-textile meshes with the
soil and act as a fertilizer. Some comparative characteristics of jute geo-textiles and
synthetics geo-textiles are shown below:
Comparative properties of synthetic & jute geo-textile
SI.
No Name of observations Effect on synthetic geo-textile Effect on Jute Geo-texti

1. Biodegradability Non Biodegradable Designed Biodegradabl

2. Photo degradability Not Photodegradable Photodegradable

Mercury, lead, cadmium,

coper, nickel, cobalt, zinc,
4. Metal content Arsenic etc. None

5. Stabilizer \ sensitizer \ filler\ pigment Present Absent

Soil temperature
6. Warming effect increasing 1-20C No effect

7. Compatible Normally not compatible Compatible

8. Biomass Negative effect Fertilizer effect

9. On burring Toxic gas evolves Only co evolves

10. Effect on water Pollution on leaching No pollution

11. Effect on fish/ microbes/ eggs etc. Harmful Harmless

12. Effect on plant Harmful Helpful

Increase insect growth by

13. Effect on agricultural activity increasingsoil temperature No effect

14. Extensibility High extensible Low Extensible

Not possible (if possible,

15. Expected design Life creates other problems) Possible

16. Application technology Special technology and costly Simple and indigenous
 17. Origin Foreign Local

18. Cost More Less

19. Availability Imported Local and easy

Jute geo-textile:
Using jute as geo-textiles is a recent and emerging technology in geotechnical and bio-
engineering fields.  Geo-textiles are not a single commodity. All jute products can be
used as geo-textiles. But one of the most important weaknesses of the jute products is
their quick biodegradability. But their life span can be extended even up to 20years
through different treatments and blending. Thus it is possible to manufacture designed
biodegradable jute geo-textile, having specific tenacity, porosity, permeability,
transmissibility according to need and location specificity.

  fig: jute geo-textile

Advantages of jute geo-textile:

 Abundant Availability
 Superior drape ability.
 Greater Moisture Retention Capacity
 Lower Costs compared to Synthetic Geo-textiles
 Ease of Installation
 Bio-degradable Properties

Jute geo-textile and Bangladesh:

Jute is a lingo-cellulosic, composite natural fiber. It is a seasonal agricultural crop.
Widely grow in this part of the world particularly Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam. Temperate, wet and humid climate of Bangladesh are very
conducive to the growth of jute. Jute produced in Bangladesh was once known as the
‘Golden fiber’ accounting for 80% of total world export. In course of time with the advent
of synthetic material however, Jute lost that primary position and have to go for
diversification. Jute Geo-textile is one of those effects of diversified approaches. Now a
days, jute geo-textile is getting popularity in foreign market. The imputers are showing
interest to buy jute geo-textile in case of synthetic geo-textile, because of its eco-friendly
characteristics and cheap cost. So the demand of jute geo-textile in foreign market is
increasing rapidly.  As we are a major jute producing country, so it is a great chance for
us to earn a lot of foreign currency by exporting jute geo-textile. There is the
Government owned BJMC with 22 or so mills running the bulk of the operational looms
and the semi-privately owned BJMA with 12 operating jute mills. Almost all the jute
industries are export oriented. But they are exporting raw fibers, jute yarn, and
packaging material. Some of jute industries are now exporting jute geo-textile, but it is
really a small amount. At present, Latif Bawany Mills under state-owned BJMC
exporting 5000 metric tons and Janata Jute Mills Ltd., only jute geo-textile exporting
private industry, exporting 2000-2500 metric tons jute geo-textile every year. but this
amount is so little in comapred to the demand and opportunity.Global demand is
remarkably high and the factories cannot meet the demand. Most of the export oriented
jute mills are busy to produce and export jute yarn and packaging material. But by
exporting jute geo-textile, they can earn more within using same amount of raw
material, labor and capital.

Present scenery of jute and jute product:

All the jute industries in Bangladesh are primarily export oriented. Raw fiber is exported
as well as jute manufactured goods. The range of products produced is similar to India
but the structure of the industry is different. On the one hand there is the Government
owned BJMC- Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation with 22 or so mills, running the bulk of
the operational looms and the semi-privately owned BJMA- Bangladesh Jute Mills
Association with 12 operating mills. On the other hand there is the BJSA- Bangladesh
Jute Spinners Association with over 40 mills which is an association of private sector
yarn producers. In Statistical terms the BJMC and the BJMA output all of which are
composite fabric mills are here shown together.

 Bangladesh provides over 90% of the world’s raw jute and allied fiber exports.
Raw jute exported each year ranges between 300,000 and about 350,000 tons.
India, Pakistan and China between them take about 250,000 tons with India
accounting for half.
 Jute fiber availability in Bangladesh is generally in the range 750,000 to 850,000
tons in recent years. As noted earlier about 300,000 tons is exported and about
45,000 tons is consumed in village consumption, which leaves about 500,000 tons
for use in the national mills.
  The internal consumption of jute goods in Bangladesh is about half the amount
per capita compared to that of India.
 The amount of jute goods consumed internally in Bangladesh is in the range
100,000 tons per year. There has been a slow build up of internal consumption
over the years, in 1970 – 30,000 tons, 1980 – 40,000 tons, 1990 – 50,000 tons
and in 2000 – 80,000 tons. It would be reasonable to anticipate a little over
120,000 tons by the year 2010.
Bangladesh exports a big amount of jute products in world market. In recent years the
quantity of exporting jute goods is higher in comparing with the other countries and it is
increasing day by day.

Proposed Strategy for jute geo-textile:

To get back the golden era of jute, Bangladesh must go for diversification. Jute Geo-
textile is one of those aspects of diversified approaches. Now a days, jute geo-textile is
getting popularity in foreign market. the following steps can be taken to increase the
demand and hold the market of jute geotextile.

 All market economics work on the principle of supply and demand. The objective
is to continually enhance demand while simultaneously balancing supply with
demand. If supply fails to meet demand the market then the purchaser’s bye
alternative reliable sources of supply. In the case of jute geo-textiles there is
already a market for erosion control product but supply is falling bellow demand. If
this situation is allowable to continue the jute geo-textile market will die.
 At present the selling market is a technology market governed by price. In other
words the product is a low technology product is exported at low price. The
demand for the product is created by foreign importers and distributors who can
make exceptional profit in selling the product on to the end user. The jute geo-
textile manufacturer can make more money by selling more products at a current
profit margin.
 Profit margin may also be increased by adding value to the product. Normally
Bangladesh export basic jute geo-textile which is not specially treated. Having
invested in developing the superior product, application technology and product
promotion, the product can be sold at a higher profit margin then its inferior
competition. The jute geo-textile can be improved by treating according to the
purpose of use. Unfortunately present available jute geo-textile does not find a
market in the commercially developed country. But the market of this product in
developed countries is increasing recently.
 The factories, which are not producing jute-geotextile, they have to encourage to
do this by showing the benefits of this product producing.
  The entire factory produces basic form of jute geo-textile. The factory has to take
steps to produce developed type of geo-textile. By doing some chemical
treatment, the characteristics of geo-textile can be increased. Then they have to
make a market of this product to the foreign countries.
 The farmers of our countries, who are cultivating jute, have to encourage
producing more jute. They have to ensure that they will find a good value of this
product.
 Sometimes, some business men   create artificial crisis of jute fiber for getting
more profit. They export jute fiber to the neighboring countries in illegal way.
Government should take steps to stop this unwanted situation.

Conclusions:
Recently jute geo-textile is getting popularity due to its eco-friendly characteristics.
Although Bangladesh is one of the largest jute producing country, but it cannot earn
money by exporting jute geo-textile due to lack of technical development. So we should
concentrate on this part to increase our foreign currency. Recently Bangladesh signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India for worldwide standardization of jute
geo-textiles. If the project complete successfully the demand of jute geo-textile will
increase rushly.

The Philippines grow a fiber named ‘’abaca’’. They say it is the best fiber in the world.
They are making tea bags, tissue papers, and some nonwoven products. They have
some companies who are promoting abaca and marketing this to other countries. We
have the jute fiber which is rich in natural properties. But we can not utilize this fiber due
to lack of our knowledge and irresponsibility. So we should work to develop the jute
geo-textile and marketing it to the other countries. Otherwise jute will lose its market and
we will loss the chance of earning a lot of foreign currency.