"This is where more and new functional clothing can be used.” Ultimately, Shishoo said: “We have to analyse the needs of the customer precisely and tune our products to these!”
Sabine Anton-Katzenbach, who specialises in textile-related topics with her consultancy company foresees significant growth in functional textiles.
"She says that the industry revenue has grown by 14 percent since 2001 and that is by no means the end of it,” says Anton-Katzenbach.
And more: “If we produce target-oriented functional clothing, people will buy it!” she says about the textile industry. Sports fashion is already demonstrating this trend, she says.
Customer use has to move more into focus: “Too often, clothing is produced which doesn't conform to the needs of the people,” says Anton-Katzenbach. She says that market research is the answer in this respect. “A product like this has to convey feelings and be stylish yet trustworthy.”
She also demands more cooperation between the different production areas: “The industry should be coordinated,” she says. She thinks that a cross-area event such as TextileTrends with its international spokespeople is a good start.
She recommends that German textile companies in particular should show more bravery: “We often stand in our own way, block our own market , and control too much.”
"That is her view of the current market and she also claims that only ten percent of textile companies are prepared to take on the risk of trying out something new, trying a new technology or developing a new product."
"Although the fact is that if we determine buyer potential, the product will sell!” she says.
From February 14-16, 2006, more than 30 experts presented their ideas for new products and technologies. Wearable electronic devices, i.e. those worked into the clothing itself, were a point of focus along with talk on actively warming or cooling textiles.
TextileTrends was organized by Materials and Surfaces Training Institute.
MSTI – Materials and Surfaces Training Institute
News 
marketing@alchempro.com
