Lithuania : New textile products for innovative technical applications

The United Action contract, which is the basis for the foundation of the Lithuanian apparel and textile industry’s technological platform, was signed in May 2005. The contract was signed by two science research institutions, seven business institutions, and an administrative partner (the Lithuanian Apparel and Textile Industry Association).
The council was formed with a strict requirement; no less than 20 percent of the total number of delegates must be from the scientific research sector. The choice of companies was made considering their ability to manufacture and provide services for entire areas of the Lithuanian apparel and textile sector.
The technological platform of the Lithuanian apparel and textile industry is a consolidation of the interests of Lithuanian apparel and textile companies, scientific research centres, and financial groups, having a purpose to mobilize and direct business and scientific research sectors’ subjects to pursue advanced industry’s international breakthrough course.
In other words, the purpose of the technological platform of the Lithuanian apparel and textile industry is to by accumulate new technologies to create a common strategy for the development of the sector in the next 10-20 years.
Considering prioritized fields of EU textile technological platform, we provision our active participation in these discussion groups.
Advancement from traditional fabric fibres, threads and materials to special products, manufactured with the flexible processes of new technologies. Topic groups:

1. New speciality fibres and fibre-composites for innovative textile products.
2. Applying functionalism to textile materials and related processes.
3. Bio-based materials, biotechnologies and environmentally friendly textile processing.
• Creation and development of textiles as a chosen material in many industrial sectors and areas of application. Topic groups:
4. New textile products for improved human performance.
5. New textile products for innovative technical applications.
6. Smart textiles and apparel
• The end of the mass production era of textile products and the advancement to a new era of special customer orders, individualization, intellectual production, logistics, and distribution. Topic groups:
7. Individualization of fashion/apparel mass production in manufacturing technologies and management of supply flow and logistics segments (mass customization).
8. New design and product development concepts and technologies.
9. Integrated quality and life cycle management concepts.
The implementation of technological platform trends and the prepared plan of strategic research including the identified trends of apparel and textile industry activity which are the most promising for Lithuania, as well as appropriate measures and actions in order to mobilize and target the actions of the enterprises and scientists working in the apparel and textile sector to fulfill the most promising activities, would help the Lithuanian apparel and textile industry and its enterprises to develop competitive future products and manufacturing.