They are fabrics that are often not even visible, but which have very high technical characteristics: they are the so-called technical fabrics that are playing an increasingly important role in fashion, especially in the luxury sector, which is always looking for innovation, but also in many other sectors looking for highly specialized products.
Italy in this sector it has conquered a role decidedly important: over a quarter of European production of technical fabrics is Made in Italy. Furthermore, the production of this category of fabric grew by 3 to 4% in 2022 and there are prospects that it could grow at least 15 to 20%.
You don't see them, but they are everywhere
I technical fabrics they are everywhere, even if sometimes they areinvisible”: in the manufacture of uniforms, in the fibers used in medicine, in protective jackets for the forces of order, including aerospace suits or fireproof suits for firefighters, obviously up to sportswear. But industry in general is the main outlet for technical fabrics in Europe, with a 19% share, according to 2018 data, followed by transport (17%), furniture and packaging (13%) and construction (11%), as reported fashionnetwork.com.
In total, this sector weighs 160 billion euros in the world, of which 60% is made by China, followed by the European Union with a percentage of 15%, for a value of 26 billion euros.
But here is the presence Italy: more than a quarter of these European technical fabrics, i.e. 25,8% are produced by our country, with a turnover of 6,71 billion euros in 2021, bringing at the top of the rankinga, surpassing Germany and France.
Our country, which is already recognized for the high quality of its traditional fabrics, employs almost 27.000 people in this sector within about 2.800 SMEs, which stand out for their extremely high level of specialization and research. Its exports reach just over 3 billion euros, or almost half of its total production, which places Italy in terms of exports behind Germany, but ahead of France.
Pattern: durability, sustainability and technicality, a winning trio
At Piazza Affari the sector is represented by pattern, which has a turnover of over 100 million a year and develops and produces clothing for major brands. “The demand for technical fabrics, particularly in the fashion sector, will undoubtedly accelerate in line with sustainable development, which requires a lot in terms of innovation” says Luca Sburlati, general manager of Pattern. “The main luxury groups are directing their strategy towards sustainability, especially through materials. They are also increasingly demanding in terms of performance,” he notes. “Before, the best cashmere in the world was from Biella. Today we are asked whether it is also waterproof or has other functions,” he reveals. For some years Pattern has also started working on three-dimensionality, one of the first manufacturers to launch itself into this field, Fashionnetwork reports again. "Yet at the time no fashion house wanted to hear about it", recalls the entrepreneur, who defines himself as a "technological craftsman". “Our role is basically to translate the designer's ideas into feasible prototypes. But the technical applications are so endless that brands can't necessarily know everything. It's up to us to act as cultural mediators to explain to them, as well as to the end customer, the different innovations they can exploit ”, he explains and adds. "There production of Italian technical textiles is increased from 3 to 4% in 2022. With the potential that exists, we should aim for one growth of at least 15 to 20%”, he concludes, inviting Italian companies to join.
Specific functions to fulfill a mission
"I technical fabrics Italians are largely unknown, even though they are incredibly present in all aspects of our daily lives,” he said Sergio Tamborini, president of SMI, Sistema Moda Italia, the employers' confederation that brings together Italian textile and clothing companies with a Technical Fabrics section, at the last symposium.
“In technical fabrics the the features it is essential. They are designed with specific functions, which are measurable, and they are created to fulfill one mission, while the traditional fabrics used for clothing are created with the aim of heating or cooling, or to offer sensations, for example, of lightness, without having a specific objective", summarizes the world director for technique and research & development of the Saati textile industry. “Each sector of application has its own rules and standards. The technical textiles sector covers all types of processing, from yarn to fabric, and other chemical processes,” he continues.
China is the world's leading producer, but Europe has a better product
“The applications are so vast, and the technical fabric offers so many niches, that it's really difficult to define and know its perimeter. However it is on the rise. China, which is the largest producer in the world, has seen its volumes increase by 110% in the last 5 years. The former Celestial Empire exports as much as Europe, but in terms of unit value for each product Europe makes twice as much as China, because its articles have a significantly higher added value”, underlines Aldo Tempesti, manager of the Technical Textiles division of SMI-TexClubTex. Tempesti points out that Europe is superior to all other regions in terms of patents, with Germany being the country that invests the most and registers the highest number of patents.
However, behind their rapidly growing numbers, the Italian excellences of technical textiles have struggled to establish themselves. “During the pandemic, Italy developed an industrial sector dedicated to technical uniforms for the medical sector. But once the crisis was over, the health system started to get supplies from China again for cost reasons. Far from being discouraged, we have redoubled our efforts to innovate by creating sustainable clothes, for example in a mono-material that is easy to recycle”, reports Chiara Ferraris, director of communication of the Bergamo-based textile group Radici Group, which specializes in polyamides and polymers.
The world crisis also impacts on oriental production
Meanwhile, some countries in the world, leaders in the textile sector in general, are feeling the effects of the global slowdown in the first half of this year. This is the case, for example, of Vietnam and Pakistan, but also of China and Turkey.
Il Vietnam , the second largest supplier of textiles and clothing to the United States and fifth largest supplier to the European Union, recorded a sudden slowdown in exports: they decreased by 17,6% in the first quarter, to 18,6 billion dollars (17,21 billion EUR).
Il Pakistan, for which textiles represent 60% of its total exports, emerged better than others from the Covid period, had seen its textile exports increase by 25% in 2021-2022. But in 2022-2023 they decreased by 15%, to 16,5 billion dollars.
La China itself saw a drop in textile-clothing exports of 8,5% in the first half of this year, while the Turkey, the third supplier in the EU, down by 13,6%.
Instead the Bangladesh, the EU's second largest supplier, managed to stay positive, with +6,7% in textile-clothing exports in the year ended at the end of June.
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