Functional textiles are one of the most important aspects of the textile material and industry. It focuses on the functionality of the textile rather than the aesthetic part of the textile. Flexibility, compatibility, functionality, and versatility are some of the major features of functional textiles.
Our daily lives are influenced by functional textile for clothing purposes, as it has replaced leather and cotton. Protective clothing is now a trend in the market as it is made from artificial materials which are much lighter than leather and cotton. Due to this, the material is widely used in geotextiles, personal protection, hygiene, medical, military/war, and sports & leisure.
Understanding the meaning of Functional Textile
Functional textiles refer to the textile materials used to offer certain inbuild functions and meet the specific needs of the end-users. They tend to have functions certainly meant to be applied in a particular situation.
Specific structures that enable the control and change of the fabrics according to their use and application are said to be functional textiles. A functional material is a material added with a particular function and composition.
Functional textiles can be classified into various types of garments such as activewear, performance wear, ready-to-wear, and seamless wear. Polyester and viscose are the types of fibers. The wide use of functional textiles in the manufacture of specific apparel for different end-users is a major factor boosting the increasing demand for functional textiles.
What are the benefits of Functional Textiles?
- It is the temperature resistance
- Materials of functional textiles are environmentally friendly
- Provides comfort to the body
- Retain temperature constantly in different weather conditions
- It has multiple uses and fabrics for various needs
Why protective clothing is a common type of functional clothing?
Protective functional clothing is the major type of clothing that offers various types and features with being most common among the various types of functional textiles. It enables the quality of life for users in various scenarios as it offers protection from injuries and ensures safe working in a harsh environment.
This type of textile is extensively used as personal protective clothing. It can be categorized into geotextiles, personal protection, medical, hygiene, sports and leisure, military/war, and others. Many other functions include abrasion resistance, moisture absorption, quick-drying functions, and anti-bacterial clothing.
How do functional textiles suit the human body?
Functional textile refers to unified fabrics which are structured to be focusing on various conditions and suit the needs of the people. Using the textile, users can protect themselves from exposure to harmful rays, which may otherwise cause diseases, especially skin diseases.
The functional textile has various types which can protect the human body in various situations by facilitating the moisture and passage for metabolic heat restraining from the body. Functional textiles offer superior features such as temperature resistance, humidity control, and health monitoring, which are widely suitable to use in sports training and track position.
Global Market Size and Valuation
Functional textile is majorly influenced by the rise in the demand for sportswear activities including ski sports, cycling, and swimming. With its various functions and features in the market, it serves and meets the needs of the high-growing demand for fabrics that satisfy various industries’ requirements.
With the trend, the global functional textiles market size was USD 4,214.0 Mn in 2021 and is likely to reach USD 6,081.0 Mn by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period, 2022–2030.
Some of the prominent players competing in the market are Harvest SPF Textile Company Ltd.; Trevira GmbH; Dyntex GmbH; Eclat Textile Corporation Ltd.; Kelheim Fibres GmbH; Toung Loong Textile MFG; Sofileta; and Kelheim Fibres GmbH.
Conclusion
Functional textile is growing globally in a fast space with a variety of fabrics and end-user applications. The applications of functional textiles are quite critical with high-performance features and characteristics enabling several industries to expand their business and produce quality products for customers. The textile industry is seen to be one of the majorly growing industries in the forecast period.