Changes in technology of textile industry

Participate in the leading textile and garment exhibition in India, Gartex Texprocess India 2023, held in New Delhi and Mumbai, and learn about the latest technology, cutting-edge equipment, materials, and services in the industry.

Did you know that industry leaders are looking to create ''anti-counterfeiting'' technology so that off-brand clothing manufacturers will no longer be able to perfectly replicate valuable pieces? Instead, the products will have a specific DNA that will make them completely unique. This technology was created to counter the replication fraud rampant in the market, especially in high fashion. This is just one of many new technological advances in the textile industry.

The textile industry is a global industry. This industry is one of the largest in the world and employs millions of people. Textile materials are made from fiber, yarns, and fabrics. Textiles can be found in a variety of materials, ranging from the clothes in your closet to the air filters in your vacuum cleaner. While the textile industry's focus was originally on the end product, countries have started to focus on the science and technology aspect of textiles. The ability of a country to create new machines and technology gives its manufacturers an even larger share of this market, which, in turn, results in greater profile.

Computerized Machines

Over the last few decades, the textile industry has undergone a facelift. Although the original machines and their processes are still being used, they have evolved into more technologically-advanced versions of the originals. Now, machines that skilled laborers used to operate manually can be computerized and programmed to produce textile materials. This development has negatively affected the employment rate for this industry, since there are fewer people needed to man the machines. For example, employment in the textile industry within the European Union alone saw a 40% drop during the 1980s and 1990s, a serious downfall of the new processes. However, the prices of textiles decreased due to this automation, creating more money for the industry and the countries producing textiles.
Technological advancements in the textile industry include the use of new machines.
Forexample:

Knitting machines - Machines create knitted fabrics in large swaths of material, instead of long strips, that are then looped and sewn together.

Pleating - Pleating can now be done solely by machines instead of laborers.

Laser printing - Textile machines now use laser printing to produce images on clothes, like jeans and shirts. As a result, designs can be transferred to materials more quickly and more precisely.

Digital printing - Layered printing allows for more complex designs.

3D Printers - Although mostly found only in the high fashion community, companies like Nike are finding ways to use 3D printing to make innovative shoes, a technology that may be eventually applied to thinner and more resilient fibers to make actual, soft clothing.

Nanotechnology - The textile industry is looking to use nanotechnology to create more scientific clothing, like fire-repellent, self-cleaning, and water-repellent items. Nanotechnology will also allow the textile industry to make products at lower energy thresholds, which helps to sustain the environment.


WHY IS THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY EVOLVING?
This is an industry that has remained largely unchanged for centuries, but it's currently experiencing rapid changes due to new advancements in manufacturing, materials processing, and design systems as well as new materials being used in products.
Technological advances in weaving, dyeing, finishing and printing have made fabric manufacturing more efficient, environmentally friendly and lower-cost than ever before.
Technological advances are changing this – from better-quality fibres to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven textiles – and these changes are set to revolutionise the way we view fabrics and how they are made. The industry has never been more dynamic than it is today.
From the development of new materials and technologies to the evolution of the global marketplace, there are a lot of factors that influence how textiles are made and sold. Here are four ways technology is changing the industry:

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  Advancement in 3D knit technology for making textile goods faster than before.
  
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  Innovations in automation and robotics.
  
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  More sustainable manufacturing processes.
  
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  Changing consumer demand for sustainable products.
  

TEXTILE TECH ADVANCES ARE RESULTING IN IMPROVED FIBRE QUALITY
The textile industry has always been at the forefront of technical innovation, and this is particularly true when it comes to developing new materials and fabrics.
The quality of fibres can be measured by their ‘fineness’ or ‘cleanliness’ – how much impurities they contain such as sand or plant matter – which affects how comfortable they feel against the skin and how durable they are. Thanks to advances in textile technology, it’s possible for manufacturers to produce higher-quality fabrics with fewer impurities compared with those produced even 10 years ago.
A great deal of research has gone into finding new ways to improve the quality of these fibres. For example, advances in molecular biology have led to improvements in the quality of cotton fibres. Meanwhile, research into nanotechnology has resulted in new nanofibre materials that could ultimately help reduce the amount of water and energy used during manufacturing processes.

CONSUMER DEMAND DRIVES TEXTILES INNOVATIONS
As consumers become more aware of what goes into their furnishings and their clothes, they are demanding more sustainable products from brands.
The textile industry has been in a state of flux for decades, with technological innovations and shifts in consumer tastes pushing companies to evolve. From the advent of new synthetic fabrics to the growth of e-commerce, the industry is constantly changing.
Digital fabrics is one of the most important innovation areas that we have been working on in recent years and Tom Stevens, our Head of Marketing, who is also closely involved in all our innovation projects, gives his thoughts about the role of the consumer in the evolution of the textiles industry.