In a world where innovation and sustainability are driving industrial transformation, technical textiles have emerged as silent game-changers. No longer confined to apparel or home décor, textiles today are embedded in highways, aircraft, hospital wards, greenhouses, and even satellites. India, with its rich textile heritage and evolving industrial base, is now poised to become a global hub in this dynamic sector.
Unlike traditional textiles, technical textiles are engineered for functionality over fashion. They serve critical roles in various sectors, from infrastructure and agriculture to healthcare, defense, and aerospace. Designed for performance—strength, insulation, resistance to chemicals, moisture, and heat—these textiles are crafted using both natural and synthetic fibres such as Kevlar, Nomex, Twaron, polyester, and polypropylene.
The global technical textile market, valued at USD 230 billion in 2024, is on track to reach USD 275 billion by 2027, growing steadily at a 5.2% CAGR. In comparison, India’s technical textile sector—valued at USD 26 billion—is expanding at an impressive 10–12% annually, and is expected to reach USD 40–45 billion by 2030.
Despite India contributing just 11% to global production (vs the global average of 27%), it’s the fastest-growing major market, now ranked 5th globally behind China, the USA, and Germany.
West Bengal, with its rich textile legacy, is positioning itself as a strategic destination for technical textiles. Key advantages include: Raw material availability (jute, silk, cotton, synthetics), Skilled workforce, Proximity to eastern export corridor and the largest garment and hosiery hub in South Asia
India’s technical textiles journey has just begun. With supportive policies, rising domestic demand, and global market opportunities, the sector is on track to become a $45 billion industry by 2030. For investors, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs, this is the perfect time to ride the wave.
Technical textile in India represents a growing sector with significant potential, driven by diverse applications across various industries.
While the Indian textile industry has a strong foundation in traditional textiles, the technical textile segment is poised expansion in varied segments, fueled by increasing demand in both domestic and globally with supportive government initiatives.
Technical Textiles are Textile products that have technical performance specifically engineered and manufactured & functionality as their primary focus beyond traditional apparel and home furnishing. It plays a crucial role in various industries by providing innovative solutions for performance enhancement, resource efficiency and cost reduction.
Technical Textiles also offers solutions for the manifold technical challenges existing in our society (environmental, protection, personal safety, general safety, health & well-being).
It often utilizes advanced materials manufacturing process to achieve specific properties like strength, durability, chemical resistance and thermal stability etc.
The end usage of these products caters wide array of sectors including construction, agriculture, aerospace, automobile, health care, protective gear, home care among others.
Technical textiles are manufactured using natural as well man-made fibres such as polyester, polyproline, polyamide, Normex, Kevlar, Spandex, Twaron etc.
These fibres exhibit enhanced functional properties like higher tenacity, superior insulation, improved thermal resistance etc. and used in varied industries & applications.
GLOBAL SCENARIO
The global Technical Textile market is estimated at USD230 billion from 2024 onwards and expected to reach USD 275 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% supported by global demand with developed applicative products and its uses.
Technical textiles are about 13% of India’s total Textile production with a contribution on Country’s G.D.P. is about 0.07%.
As of 2024, Indian technical textiles were valued at 26 billion & expected to touch 40-45 billion by 2030 growing with a healthy annual rate of 10-12% compared to the global average where technical textile form 27% of total textile output, India stands at 11% now.
CLASSIFICATION OF TECHNICAL TEXTILES
PRODUCT SEGMENTS ON APPLICATION BASED:
Based on the products, the market is divided into following 12 segments, with the rise in the dominance of technical textiles.
AGRO-TECH: Focus on the potential of technical textiles in agriculture, horticulture (including floriculture), fisheries, animal husbandry, forestry and other allied activities in irrigation and livestock management.
BUILD-TECH: Build tech consists those products which have applications in the building and construction industries. It includes architectural membranes, tarpaulins (canvas & HDPE) awnings and canopies, scaffolding nets, wall coverings and acoustic fabric.
CLOTH-TECH: This segment comprises textile material and products to fulfil functional requirements of the clothing, garments, and footwear industry. Shoelaces, interlining, Zip fasteners, elastic fabric, garment and umbrella cloth are some of the major products.
GEO-TECH: Highlight the uses of geotextiles in infrastructure projects like roads, railways, and erosion control. (reinforcement, separation, filtration, drainage and erosion control). Products are manufactured in non-woven, woven and knitted processes and in Geogrids, Geonets and Geo-composites forms.
*Robust demand of geo-textiles to set up a target of 300 highways project with an estimated investment of Rs.1.58 trillion ($2.25 Billion)
HOME-TECH: Technical components of furniture, household textiles, and floor coverings, etc. are categorized as home tech. Other major products are fibrefill, mattress & pillow components, carpet backing cloth, stuffed toys and blinds.
INDU-TECH: Technical textile in industrial applications, filtration and protective clothing, conveying, purification process etc. (filters, conveyor belts, drive belts, bolting cloth, computer printer ribbons, paper making fabrics. Wind energy from wind turbines made from composites and fibre glass yarn.
*The present installed capacity of wind energy in India is around 40 G.W. with a target to increase 60G.W.
MEDI-TECH: Emphasize the growing need for medical textiles in wound care, infection control, and surgical applications, products like diapers, sanitary napkins, surgical products, artificial implants, masks, PPE kits, surgical gowns etc.
MOBIL-TECH: This segment includes products that are used for applications in automotive components of terrestrial vehicles of various kinds, railways, airplanes, boats and ships, satellites and space crafts. The main products are seat belt, webbings, airbags, helmets, seat upholstery, airline disposables, nylon tyre cords etc.
OEKO-TECH: Environmental protection, recycling, waste disposal.
PACK-TECH: Packaging, protection-cover system, sacks, big bags, container system etc.
PRO-TECH: products for protection of property and person. The main user groups are those associated with external securities (Defense), fire control service, police, para military forces, mining, as well as residentials and industrials security.
SPORTS-TECH: sports and leisure, active wear, sports articles etc.
PRESENT STATUS OF EXPORT AND IMPORT IN TECHNICAL TEXTILES (SEGMENT WISE)
| # | Segment | Export Share (%) | Import Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pack-tech | 39 | 4 |
| 2 | Indu-tech | 25 | 30 |
| 3 | Mobil-tech | 9 | 33 |
| 4 | Cloth-tech | 8 | 12 |
| 5 | Home-tech | 5 | 10 |
| 6 | Medi-tech | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | Agro-tech | 3 | 2 |
| 8 | Build-tech | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | Pro-tech | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | Geo-tech | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Sports-tech | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Oeko-tech | 0 | 1 |
China (1/3rd capacity), U.S.A. (1/4th capacity) &Germany(1/8thcapacity) are not only the leading countries for global production and export in technical textiles but also leading consumers. India’s position is fifth. But the present growth rate in China is 6% than that of 7% in India.
India’s growth rate in technical textiles is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by Government initiations through NTTM, Research Institutes and implementation of production- linked incentive (PLI) & P M MITRA scheme. The Government is also reducing duties on new technology machineries and correcting inverted duty structures to boost export. These efforts aim to boost need based domestic manufacturing innovation, and expand, positioning India as a future leading global hub in technical textiles.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN WEST BENGAL
West Bengal has also made significant strides in the Textile Sector establishing a comprehensive textile value chain due to its favourable demographics weather conditions, easy availability of skilled man power, support for raw material both Natural (jute, silk and some quantity of cotton at Nimpith, South 24-pgns) and man-made /synthetic fibres at Haldia along with easy Marketing accessibility for huge domestic consumptions and being eastern corridor for a cost-effective export.
The largest ready-made garment hub of South-Asia is located in the State and it has also become the leading hub for India’s hosiery sector.
Further growth shall be boost up if adequate pre-process/post- process industries like Spinning, weaving, Dyeing and Processing industries are set up in the State by the Entrepreneurs in the fold of Micro, Small, Medium and Large Industries in traditional sectors with wide range of productions as well as to set up fast growing global industries in technical textiles (billion-dollar industries).
The vast growth potential in technical textiles in the State can be based on the global demand as well as growth in domestic market, wide gap between demand and production in the State itself apart from the cost-effective export.
There is varied scope of setting up of industries in technical textiles in all segments. But as per market study the segments that have attacked relatively higher investor’s interest are Medi-tech, Pro-tech, Mobil- tech, Pack-tech & geo-tech. Production of technical textiles for use in sustainable & eco-friendly products is also receiving attention of investors. Based on local demands and to fill the gap in the import segment of technical textile products, feasibility report of few projects is drawn here in a nutshell.
MOSQUITO NET AND FISHING NET (OTHER THAN DEEP SEA)
Mosquito net is manufactured from HDPE granules (polyester)/ LLIN mosquito net coated with insecticides (as per guide line of WHO) used in Health, Municipalities & Corporations and also in our daily life. Fishing nets are crucial in aquaculture and used as cage nets, pen nets and traditional fish nets.
PROJECT COST:
| 1 | Land 2 acre | 50.00 lakh |
| 2 | Civil work | 520.00 lakh |
| 2a | Construction of PEB shed 40,000 sq.ft. | 320.00 lakh |
| 2b | Annexes Building, civil work for H/plant and residential building | 200.00 lakh |
| 3 | Plant & Machineries (2 extruders, 2 warping machines, 4 warp knitting machines, cloth stretching machine, etc.) | 800.00 lakh |
| 4 | Miscellaneous fixed assets (H/plant, Electrical substation, Cables & control panels, trolley, overhead crane, furniture & fixtures, etc.) | 150.00 lakh |
| 5 | Pre-operative expenses | 60.00 lakh |
| 6 | Contingency @ 5% | 40.00 lakh |
| 7 | Margin Money for working capital | 60.00 lakh |
| Total Project Cost | 1680.00 lakh | |
*Standard project. However, this may be implemented in phases. Cost arrived without any subsidy either from State Govt. or Central Govt.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Raw material | HDPE Granules from Haldia petrochemicals |
| Annual production | 1.4 million sq. mtrs of fabrics |
| Projected IRR | 24% |
| Break-even | Cash at 35% & net at 56% |
| Net cash Profit/annum | Rs. 354.00 lakh |
MARKTING: The requirement of mosquito net and fishing net in the state as well as in other eastern region states are met by the units located at Tamil Nadu (Karur), being the leading hub of mosquito nets and fishing nets. About 80% cloth is imported from them. Hence this is the ready market for the entrepreneurs.
GEO-TEXTILE PROJECT – GEO-GIRD & GEO-NET ETC. FOR ROADS & RAILWAYS ETC.
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics and perform several critical functions in civil engineering project preventing soil erosion, reinforcement structures, separation, filtration, drainage, stabilization etc. and used in roads, embankments, retaining walls etc.
| Project Cost | 3460.00 Lakh | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land – 1.5-acre | 75.00 Lakh |
| 2 | Construction
|
|
| 3 | Plant & Machineries (Warp knitting, Direct warper, semyung beams, overhead crane & coating line, etc.) |
2710.00 lakh |
| 4 | Miscellaneous fixed assets | 150.00 lakh |
| 5 | Pre-operative expenses | 80.00 lakh |
| 6 | Contingency @ 5% | 135.00 lakh |
| 7 | Margin money for working capital | 120.00 lakh |
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Polyester, Polyprolines or composite |
| Annual Production | 1.7 million square meters |
| Projected IRR | 32% |
| Break-even | 29% at cash and 45% at net |
| Annual Net Cash Profit | Rs. 850.00 lakh |
| Marketing | State Govt., Govt. of India, Railways & Export |
MULCH MATS MANUFACTURING
Biodegradable & durable mulch mats have agricultural and horticultural applications, are being used to suppress weed growth, retain soil moisture, and regulate soil temperature, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Mulch Mats are developed and manufactured by using a blend of jute and polyester fibres.
| Project Cost | 832.50 lakh | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land – 1-acre | 30.00 lakh |
| 2 | Construction PEB shed 20,000 SQ.FT. & other buildings | 150.00 lakh |
| 3 | Plant & machineries | 450.00 lakh |
| 4 | (Bale opener, Blender, Carding, Needle punching machine, Warp knitting machine 2 nos, cutting machine, rolling machine, Latex spraying/coating machine, testing machines etc.) | |
| 5 | Miscellaneous fixed assets | 105.00 lakh |
| 6 | Preoperative expenses | 40.00 lakh |
| 7 | Contingency @ 5% | 22.50 lakh |
| 8 | Margin money for working capital | 35.00 lakh |
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Raw materials | Jute & polyester blends |
| Project IRR | 22% |
| Break-even | at cash 38% and net at 64% |
| Annual Net Cash Profit | Rs. 195.00 lakh |
| Marketing | In agriculture, horticulture sectors etc. |
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