By Seshadri Ramkumar, Texas Tech University, USA
The Indian Government has done its part by creating the basic awareness on the technical textiles sector. In addition, it has also contributed from the fiscal point of view by launching a national Technological Mission on Technical Textiles. In addition, the technical textiles sector has also been included in the revamped Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS). This will beg the question: why then the industry has not grown? The answer to this question lies in two parts – lack of awareness on how to make finished or converted technical textile products, and marketing know-how to sell and trade technical textile products.
There needs to be a platform where interested parties and entrepreneurs can come to know what products are marketable and how to make and market them. The answer to this puzzle lies in the 1-0-1 basic marketing class on technical textiles. In a different connotation, the industry has to make and sell products where there are multiple consumer needs and applications. Simply put, the technical textiles sector in India should know where and how such textiles are used on a daily basis.
It is very well accepted in the industry that the technical textiles sector can be categorized into 12 segments which were proposed a couple of decades ago by the Techtextil-Messe Frankfurt. How relevant this will be in a very nascent growth market like India is questionable in my point of view. When Techtextil-Messe Frankfurt made this categorization, the European and American technical textiles markets were fairly matured.
In the Indian context, to give room for all segments to participate, it would be logical to broadly categorize technical textiles into consumer products, institutional products and government/national procurement products. Such a classification allows opportunities for any number of industries to individually or collectively participate in the growth equation of the technical textiles sector. For example, if the thrust is given to one product such as geotextiles where the market is niche and limited, it will jeopardize the growth opportunities for a number of small-scale players with limited investment capabilities.
For entrepreneurs and industrialists with limited investment capabilities, it would be logical and less risky to enter into the converting sector of the technical textiles industry. The converting sector is the generic name for the segment of the technical textiles industry that develops products which are picked up and used by consumers. In other words, these are the products which will occupy the shelves of retail outlets of Wal Mart, Costco, Big Bazar, etc. I have been articulating the need for creation of the converting sector in India in the recent past. As briefed before, big ticket item products such as geotextiles, sportech and agritech, to name a few, have a very defined and focused market. In these segments although there are opportunities it is very competitive and limited, whereas in the case of consumer products there are limitless opportunities with relatively less investments.
Where to go for opportunities?
A careful look at day-to-day life products will reveal a number of opportunities for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs. Even an existing home textile and commodity textile manufacturer can venture into small ticket items with large volume. For example, the baby comforter (blanket) is a technical textile product that has polyester fiber fill stuffed inside printed cotton cloth. Similarly, a baby car seat in an automobile has polyester batt stuffed inside a flame-retardant polyester woven material.
These are a few examples of how new products which are very relevant to the consumer needs can be made. An existing home textile manufacturer can be converted into a reusable grocery bag manufacturer by simply diversifying the product line from developing a woven home textile material to a technical textile material such as a shopping bag or a side sleeping pillow.
As the primary infrastructure in this situation is cutting and sewing, the home textile manufacturer in this case is diversifying within his realm of core competency. The need of the hour is to diversify within the limits of a manufacturer’s core competency and comfort level with minimum investment.
With the recently revamped TUFS such investments are possible in India which has the necessary knowledge base and basic fabric (roll goods) manufacturing capability needed for spearheading the growth of the converting sector. For instance, the entrepreneurial communities in Surat, Tirupur and Karur can think of any number of products which will enhance the functionality, applications and consumer appeal with their existing infrastructural capabilities. For example, products such as baby sling, hospital stretchers, body bags, etc., to name a few, involve proper thinking and combination of multiple products and processes such as nonwovens, wovens, cutting and sewing, coating, etc.
The need of the hour is to create an understanding on such converted products and a critical mass of people who will be able to advise entrepreneurs and industry associations in India and grow the important converting sector of the technical textiles industry. It is extremely important for the Government, industry associations and research organizations to promote the development and growth of the converted technical textiles product in India.
The global technical textile industry is based on producing and selling products that are relevant to consumers, such as wipes, diapers and medical and hygiene products. Developing this particular segment of the technical textiles sector, which will develop huge volume-based consumer products, must now receive priority attention of the Indian textile industry.