Editorial: Human Power Boost for the Smart Fabric and Interactive Textiles Market?

Great strides have been made in recent years in the field of smart and interactive textiles, especially ?wearable electronics?.

Fabrics which incorporate integrated electronics are capable of interfacing with, or accommodating, iPods, mobile phones and laptop computers, and are being used in the manufacture of a wide range of products?including sports jackets, bags, business suits and fabric keyboards.

As well as being of interest to consumers, smart and interactive textiles also have great potential in the military. For example, they could aid communications on the battlefield?or monitor a soldier?s general health or any injuries which the soldier may have sustained. One manufacturer in the UK has developed a conductive polymeric yarn which can be knitted into fabrics to manufacture clothing which is capable of producing heat?using a power source?to keep the wearer warm.

One thing which all these developments have in common, however, is the need for some form of power supply. Batteries can be cumbersome, bulky and heavy relative to the products they are powering. Also, they usually have to be recharged periodically from an external source. At best, this is inconvenient. At worst it could be life threatening. Soldiers relying on their communication devices could be a long way from a power source where their devices could be recharged.

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• Performance apparel markets: product developments and innovations, 2nd quarter 2007, (2nd Quarter 2007)
• Smart Fabrics and Intelligent Textiles in the UK: Seven Companies at the Forefront of Innovation , (May-June 2007)
• Editorial: New Technologies for Smart Fabric and Intelligent Textile Products: Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells and Plastic Electronics, (1st quarter 2007)

Four times a year, Technical Textile Markets provides an overview of the global man-made fibre, nonwoven and technical textile industries. It provides market data and analysis of new and established markets for technical textiles, and is essential reading for senior executives in (or supplying) the man-made fibre, nonwoven and technical textile sectors ? as well as for those who are not involved in the industry on a day-to-day basis, but who need an authoritative source which helps them to quickly gain an understanding of the key issues facing the companies which are actively involved in this fast-growing sector.
Reports in Technical Textile Markets include:
	company and country profiles ? giving you the opportunity to learn from strategies employed by others, in terms of production, sourcing, import/export, infrastructure and development, and plans for the future.
	profiles of the world's top 40 producers of nonwovens ? updated each year with details of developments from each of the leading producers, including acquisitions, investments and divestments, and analyses of trends which the "rising stars" are using to their advantage.
	statistical reports ? including consumption data, by fibre and end-use applications. Regular updates are published for fibre consumption in Japan, the rest of Asia, the USA, and Western Europe.
	market sector information ? analyses of important commercial end-user applications, and profiles of both established and emerging markets which take into account such innovations and developments as nanotechnology and intelligent textiles.
	regular updates on innovations in fibres, technical textiles, apparel and machinery ? including developments in the following categories: fibres and yarns; technical textile fabrics for industrial applications; machinery; technical textiles for apparel; composites; other technical textile products; and technical textile treatments and finishes.
	reports on new technological developments and other topical issues ? with clear, authoritative comments on their economic and commercial significance. The reports bring to your attention the key issues which you can use to develop your business, and provides contact details of useful organisations.
So whether you are involved in man-made fibres, nonwovens or technical textiles ? in manufacturing, converting, import/export, or end use ? or if you are in education or consultancy or investment or finance ? a subscription to Technical Textile Markets will tell you what you need to know about the key trends in the industry.
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Technical textiles are used in a wide range of end-use applications and markets, including agricultural; automotive; building/ construction/ engineering; medical and hygiene; packaging; protective clothing; sports and sportswear; and transport. A subscription to Technical Textile Markets will support your decision making, and provide the information you need to expand into new markets.