Protective textiles

The Protective textiles sector

The current size of the Personal Protective clothing and Equipment (PPE) market in the EU is estimated at EUR 9.5 billion to EUR 10 billion, accounting for around 200 000 jobs, directly or indirectly. The fast growth forecast in certain parts of the world suggests that EU exports of PPE could grow by about 50% over the next few years. Advances in this area include novel speciality fibres, the use of nanoparticles and the integration of micro-electronic components into fabrics and garments. EU industry expertise in the fields of polymer technology, specialty yarn and fabric manufacture, textile finishing and service supply will play a pivotal role in reinforcing EU industry's leadership in new generation PPE products. Technological developments originating from high-tech domains such as space industry and military use have a well-known potential to be transferred to the PPE market, including non-wearable interior textiles (for buildings or transport vehicles) and consumer products (such as garments for sports, outdoor wear or fashion). Thus, new applications in these fields represent a real potential to have a clear positive impact on the modernisation, competitiveness and structural adjustment of the sector.

Challenges

The value of the non-EU markets doubles that of the European one, offering possibilities to increase EU exports substantially. The EU12, countries such as Ukraine and Russia and the Asian region are the fastest growing markets. However access of European products to markets in Asia is controlled in exports and public procurement. Swifter development and use of European standards in the global market, combined with appropriate measures to protect intellectual property for example through business support services for SMEs, would create additional demand for protective textiles. Public procurement plays an important role in PPE, accounting for 100% of purchasing in certain product groups, but there is fragmentation of demand for protective textiles at the level of local authorities. There is a lack of knowledge of how to purchase innovative PPE goods and services in under current public procurement law.

Roadmap

The action plan proposed by the Commission integrates all necessary actions in a synchronised way to favour the innovation of new products and accelerate growth. Other measures facilitate public procurement for innovative protective textile products; strengthen awareness of intellectual property protection and SME involvement in the development of standards. Citizens will also benefit from access to better products for key services such as civil protection, for instance in case of pandemics or terrorist actions with high risks to the population.

Documents

• Mid-term progress report of Protective Textiles (published in September 2009) [405 KB]
• Action plan for protective textiles [26 KB]
• Protective textiles taskforce report [201 KB]

 

Technical Harmonisation

Most protective textiles are covered by Directive 89/686/EEC on Personal Protective Equipment, which is supplemented by directives on the protection of health and safety of workers, in particular Directive 89/656/EEC on the use of protective equipment by workers at the workplace. While this regulatory framework is in general adequate for protective clothing products, an area of concern is the enforcement of existing legislation to ensure that only products providing high level of protection are put on the market. Common rules must be respected both by products manufactured in the EU and by products imported from third countries. However, experience has shown certain deficits in the implementation and enforcement of the Community technical legislation. Under the revision of the New Approach to technical harmonisation, two proposals for reinforced Community policies on market surveillance and accreditation were adopted by the Council and the EP in 2008. Following their adoption, the revision of the PPE Directive was restarted in November 2008 with the aim of having the Commission proposal adopted in late 2010, early 2011. The revision should not cause problems for the protective textiles lead market and the new legislative framework should improve market surveillance irrespective of the sector.

More information:

• Directive 89/686/EEC
• Directive 89/656/EEC

 

7 research projects selected for funding

Building on European leadership in terms of quality and innovation, the textile industry and the scientific community are developing new advances in the fields of speciality fibres, functionalisation of textile materials and integration of micro-electronic components into smart textiles as well as in production technologies, including prototyping and customisation.

The generation of added value in the area of protective textiles requires a multidisciplinary approach which integrates a great variety of disciplines, ranging from basic material knowledge (chemicals and fibres), advanced chemical and mechanical processing techniques (incl. nanotechnology), nano- or microelectronics to physiological and behavioural knowledge of human actors in hazardous environments. Thus, the development, manufacture and maintenance of innovative protective equipment has become an interdisciplinary challenge that provides fresh impetus and new opportunities for the textile and clothing sector but also for other industries and service sectors.

In response to this challenge to the LMI, a research topic targeting the personal protective equipment and clothing sectors was included under the 2nd call of the Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production technologies (NMP) theme in FP7 . Seven protective textiles related proposals were selected for funding amounting to € 21 million. Contract negotiations were finalised in April 2009 and each project will run for several years.

More information:

• FP7 call