Future for Textiles in Europe for the Next Decade
Introduction
Actually there is a climate of uncertainty in the textiles community in Europe. This is a result of continuous and fast changes over the last years leading to restructuring, reorganisation and offshore manufacturing. A major result of these developments is a (strong) decrease of the number of people being employed in the textile and clothing industry combined with fewer and fewer companies active in textiles.
Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to draw a blue print for this industry in order to have at least a vision where one is heading for and to avoid further stumbling from crises to crises. It is quite clear that one has to redefine work in industry, at institutes and at universities as far as textiles is concerned.
Facts and Figures
The textile (and clothing) industry has high built in structural costs. For many emerging countries, textiles (and clothing) is seen as an entry industry as a way to industrialise the country. As a result, in Europe one has to forget about commodities which are by far the majority of most textile (and clothing) products manufactured so far. One has to go to specialty materials, engineered products, technically advanced and research driven. By doing so, one can enter niche markets, explore markets where other materials were previously used and where quality and functionality at a reasonable cost are of utmost importance. It also means that all avoidable losses must be eliminated in the whole production chain; cost effectiveness is a key! Managing cost complexity is going to make a large difference. All this requires still more automation, computerisation and informatisation.
By redefining and reorganising the operational parameters, the functions in the companies and the products in the most effective way, a sustainable competitive advantage will remain. This change will generate an increasingly capital intensive manufacturing industry where very skilled, properly educated and well trained personnel is active. It stresses the need for a modern educational system, new learning technology and a continuous updating of employees of the latest technological developments via work place related training programmes.
Seemingly important is research and development. Research is needed aiming at developing new products and processes for specific advanced applications often in new sectors and mostly for niche markets.
Results of fundamental work done in disciplines related to textiles, i.e. (bio)chemistry, physics, polymer and materials sciences and engineering must be guided towards those people dealing with research for the textile industry. These textile people must convert the knowledge received into important developments (products, processes, ...) for special areas not having been covered by the textile industry so far but where "textile products" are applicable. It will mainly be these areas for which a new textile industry has a future, a reason for existence in Europe.
The innovative power will not come from within the textile sector as a whole, but opportunities for new markets must be developed by linking non textile specialists with textile people. This interaction is the only way to supply the textile industry with the necessary oxygen, the tools for new quality goods and services with a future. So far interaction between non textile and textile people was only scarcely realised. Although this co-operation looks obvious, it may be very difficult to realise as the textile industry is often considered as an industry with a bleak future, low wages and a remarkable job uncertainty. It strongly pictures the task one has in order to succeed!
It is beyond doubt that information technology (IT) is an instrument to improve the companies' competitive position in a challenging environment as we face it today. By implementing information technology we can expect :
- a better understanding or management of the whole process resulting in an improvement of the decision making process
- to transcend the limitations of geographical distribution
- the creation of a modern image of a mature industry
- ...
One of the latest advancements in IT is the (fast) rise of the use of the Internet. This development generates opportunities (e-commerce, ...) but will remain for many years an expensive gadget, particularly for the textile industry. Electronic commerce is (slowly) developing but is only an extra channel through which business can be done and very likely not giving a substantial bonus in the years to come. It is just an alternative (but still risky) way to do business, requiring extra labour and actually not compensated for by a comparable volume of trade. However, in order to avoid being called "outdated", textile companies will have to jump (massively) on that train to secure a future!
To be successful in the years to come, textile companies will have to make use in an appropriate way of new educational systems, technologically based innovation and customer oriented research, information technology and better management techniques! Process innovation and new products for niche applications must be aimed at.
Considering that it takes years to change a company's behaviour, it is necessary to anticipate the changes and developments in order to stay in production. Companies that learn the fastest, show flexibility have a competitive advantage.One must recognize that in many cases, changes are simply not possible anymore because of a too high technological backwardness. So, companies are going offshore to cut substantially in costs, or they go bankrupt.Continuously implementing new tools, techniques, methods, trends and mechanisms over a short time is often too much to be done, having dealt too long with the traditional way of textile manufacturing and business.
The future
Textiles is one of history's impressive economic engines. Unfortunately, it often goes to places with people working hard for little money.
It is one of the real global industries and used by nations as an entry to industrialisation (similar to agriculture) and as such as a way to move from poverty to (some) prosperity. Textile activities are particularly vulnerable to worker's cost and technological developments. When costs tend to be higher, the business is simply moved and taught to people in less developed countries. Lower trade barriers are encouraging this development too : facing a complete liberalisation by the year 2005 (removal of all quotas), textiles in Europe will have to go for a radical change in the years to come. It is about an industry with more than two millions of workers with jobs that are not likely to be internationally viable after 2005 as they are now.
In order to save some textile activities in Europe, a complete change will have to be realised with a dramatic impact on the actual situation : never in history the changes will have been so fast and so global in such a short time if one wants to survive in textiles in Europe.
It is expected that over the next 10 years, up to 90 % of the textile products actually manufactured in Europe will have to be replaced as they will be delivered at very cheap prices by another continent. In order to respond to that challenge, a single European approach is required. This approach involves the industry, the research institutes and the educational (academic) world.
The textile future in Europe is for engineered, multifunctional textile materials. These unique materials are the result of innovation in a research supported textile environment. Examples of these products / processes are:
- enzymatic applications and gen-technology / biotechnology
- micro-encapsulation
- safety clothing / protective clothing
- clothing using self-regulating heating elements (fibres)
- wound dressing with increased absorption capacity
- fabrics based on fibre optics
- special vascular prosthesis, medical textiles in general
- biomemetic developments
- biomaterials for tissue engineering
- fibres based on new biopolymers
- geotextiles
- the use of non-aqueous media for dyeing (not including CO2)
- special finishes
- interactive textiles
- electro-textiles
- space textiles
- and many more.
So far, the bulk of textile products is still too much the same as ten to twenty years ago. These kinds of products will be produced somewhere else on our globe at an extremely low cost giving substantial benefits to European consumers, to our European economy as a whole. Claiming that such outward processing will cause too much loss of jobs, cannot be an argument for Europe as it is already known that millions of workers are needed from outside Europe to sustain its economy or to prevent our society to collapse in the years to come. So employment cannot be an excuse.
Not so long ago, textile activities had to compete with other traditional activities such as the chemical industry, steel making industry and so on as far as attraction to youngsters was concerned. With the development of the information and communication industry and several other areas (biotechnology, life sciences, ...), textiles is even more pushed in the shade as young people prefer an education preparing them for a highly rewarding job. Textiles as a mature industry and based on the actual activities, is not able to guarantee similar benefits.
As the lack of interest to young people is a major threat to the European textile industry, only a high-tech image may lead to a renewed interest. Therefore, as explained earlier, highly specialised products and processes to a very large extent based on related science and engineering disciplines (referring to multidisciplinarity) are the way out. It also implies reconsidering our existing textile educational system.
As research is critical to the survival of the textile industry in Europe, one must re-invent the actual research systems for textiles. Although the textile industry may claim that research and innovation is part of their activities, it is obvious that Research in the textile world has to be detected by a magnifying glass. Statistics reveal that less than 0,5 % of the turnover in textiles is invested in research and development. This is the lowest figure from all industries. With such a figure one can wonder if there is a place for textiles in a high-tech European environment.
Till now, too much in textiles is based on slightly altering an existing technology. An enormous effort aiming at new products and processes is needed. The main problem for this however is the lack of financial resources : generally, the existing profit margins of textile companies do not allow a (well developed) research department to be operational.
In order to overcome this drawback, more venture and research capital must be made available provided it aims at developing a new industry based on value added processing as a result of innovative research and not to balance accounts, pay for actual losses or buying simple technical "support". This value added processing must be the result of a true research driven environment, being the last chance for the sector.
A consequence of this need for a textile future in Europe is that institutes and universities must develop a new approach. In Europe, too many research groups (institutes, departments of universities, ...) are doing similar things. Once an interesting item is detected, the majority of existing research groups claim to work in that area to justify their call for more research money. The result is that countries with still a reasonable textile activity are often competing with each other just to keep the national textile activities as broad as possible.
The alternative one must develop is a real European textile (and clothing) industry with viable companies dealing with advanced textile products for specialty markets, less or even not available today.
This calls for an efficient and single policy of all partners involved : the world of education, the institutes and textile companies. Financial resources are limited and so is the human potential. We have to build a single structure to support textiles in Europe. In that structure there is no need for a continuing fragmentation and duplication. We need innovation, sustainable developments and growth, dynamic private investment (risk capital), well trained and well remunerated workers, a research with vision aiming at economic competitiveness and highly co-ordinated amongst countries to increase effectiveness, and so on.
Ideally education, research and technology transfer must be seen as a single and common activity to guarantee the best results towards the industry. It stresses the demand for Centres of Excellence having an indisputable international reputation. Innovative academic programmes and research are necessary combined with a strong programme of outreach to the textile industry. Actually, in Europe there is too much division, not enough coherence; resources are spread over so many places that it never can be effective.
Conclusion
The textile industry is a special kind of industry. It is always dying but never dead (Indian Textile Journal, June 1999/159).
In Europe, textiles is going to face changes as never before. In a few years from now, the bulk of textile goods actually produced in Europe will be manufactured somewhere else, mainly Asia, South-America, Mexico and the North of Africa. This is simply because of the availability of (extremely) cheap labour and an inexhaustible supply of labour force.
Only unique products for special applications and for niche markets can save European textile companies from extinction. For this, well educated and well remunerated people are needed in addition to an integrated approach for research and development, technology watch and transfer towards the textiles community. European countries have to leave behind their outdated politics of a national approach simply to protect the own industry as textiles is really a global industry and not something that needs duplica
tion in each country. A limited number of Centres of Excellence in textiles in close co-operation with non textile centres is necessary to support the European Textiles Community, instead of a vast number of sometimes meaningless organisations or groups in order to optimise available funds. It is however understood that the actual scattered situation mainly is the result of historical developments.
Funding for education and research in textiles has to be substantially increased by public and private intitiatives to provide the fundaments of a really research and development driven industry based on innovation with a high-tech image offering excellent job opportunities. Only then youngsters will be convinced and attracted! Such a new industry has to be globally marketed giving proof of a single European approach. That kind of industry will be able to compete with any other industrial activity, here and in the rest of the world.
If one is not able to fulfil these requirements, the whole European textile industry (including clothing) will be decimized as it is now already the case in a number of European countries. This bleak future may be not so far away as by the year 2005 all quotas will have disappeared and the public (and so the politicians) may have realised that the cost of simply saving jobs in the textile industry will be so high, that it is counterproductive and not realistic to keep it going in a whole European context. There is no time to waste and all efforts must be streamlined in order to avoid the worst case scenario.
Prof. Dr. Paul KIEKENS
Ghent University, Belgium
1999
paul.kiekens@UGent.be
Textiles and Clothing : a new world order
The textile (and clothing) industry in EU is facing a completely new situation since the moment /
time China joined WTO in 2001. This new situation has tremendously gained weight since the
quotas phased out in 2005 and will get full impact by 2008 when our industry will be subjected to
a global and cutthroat competition.
It means that the majority of the textile (and clothing) activities which have been going on for
decades, will cease to exist being moved to Asia, possibly partly to Turkey and this is already
happening increasingly. That move will shake the whole textile and clothing industrial world as
“majority” possibly means 70 to 90 % of the current activities having an almost equal impact on
employment. With nearly three million people working in the textile industry in EU-25, this
figure might go down to 500,000 over a period of three to four years. It has to be understood that
these half million workers could be, to a large extent, the result of an involvement in selling and
distributing textile and clothing goods from Asia into Europe.
Although it is hoped for that this situation can be reversed, few elements are pointing in that
direction. Europe with its respect for a social society, is simply too expensive to produce
(commodity) textiles and apparel as it is the case now. Other strategies are necessary. In
addition, it is quite clear that China has decided to take over the textile and clothing industry at
world level, at whatever cost for that country. Once this is a fact, Asia can start to take over other
sectors - a development which is already going on e.g. in electronics, computers. Unfortunately,
the West is helping a lot to accomplish this as it is quite clear that thousands of industrialists are
extremely eager to invest in Asia, mainly China and India, possibly undermining their own socle.
It has to be said that this has a welcome impact on inflation in the EU. With extremely cheap
goods permanently coming from China and India, our European households fully benefit from
lower prices, experiencing a nice (but risky and possibly false) feeling of “richness”. Another
remarkable characteristic of this development is the overall increase in commerce at world level,
cherished by people (mostly) not coming from the textile industry in the EU.
What can be done to develop a proper strategy to deal with this? Globalization, i.e.
“Chinafication” of textile and apparel products can be seen as something having the effect of
hurricane “Katrina” on New Orleans : not fully unexpected, fast and overwhelming with a
devastating effect insofar that it is not known what will remain of the city.
So, what is the answer if we want one? We can forget commodity products which are still the
bulk of our industry. Turning back the clock is not a solution either as globalization is a fact.
Therefore, EU can only go to small niche activities (and many examples can be given) with
advanced products and very high added values leading to a high technology textile and clothing
industry. This does not entirely / solely mean technical textiles. A technical textile product is
easily copied and even already producible at a low cost in Asia. Focusing must be on products
requiring a lot of scientific and technological knowledge and input. This can even cover clothing
/ apparel, but based on sophisticated and complex technology.
All this is pointing to a new industry which we have to develop in the next five to ten years as the
“old” textile and clothing industry is likely to disappear in the same period in EU. In order to
help develop that kind of textile and clothing industry, which essentially means a sector of “white
collar” workers instead of “blue collar” workers, the recently established “Technology Platform”
can be an excellent vehicle and catalyst. It is not a guarantee, but at least everybody is clearly
facing the situation, trying to find out jointly what proper answers there are to a challenge which
EU (the West) likely may never have met in history. It is a frightening experience on one side but
on the other hand a challenge to rise as a phoenix from the ashes!!
Prof. Dr. Paul KIEKENS
Ghent University, Belgium
February 2006
paul.kiekens@UGent.be
The Future of Technical Textiles in Europe
The membership of China of WTO (World Trade Organisation) starting 2001 has initiated a new era in international trade. The world has since then become a global village where manufacturing is taking place preferably at locations where the cost of production is at an absolute minimum. So far, China (and also India) seem to take the most advantage of that new “global trade” based on real competition and comparative advantage between all players. Thus, a new competitive model for the world industries has to be developed and this is particularly true for the textile and clothing industries often seen by nations as entry industries to industrialization. In addition, as logistics allow world wide sourcing, the “distance protection” for the European textile and clothing industry does not exist anymore (or possibly for a short and likely phasing out period).
This liberalization of markets is influencing Europe’s textile and clothing market to a large extent and will continue to do so in the coming years. Actually, almost 2.5 million people in nearly 175.000 (mainly small) companies are employed in textiles and clothing - EU. These figures are going down and will continue to show this trend in the future.
In order to cope with the new situation, several European companies have found the solution of “joint ventures”, i.e. by joining forces with Indian / Chinese companies (denim manufacture, …) which results in a global marketing network. Others have completely delocalized to the Far East, or have stopped the activities in Europe. Some of them started business in Romania and Bulgaria (or Turkey). As Romania and Bulgaria are new members of EU from 2007 onwards, production in these countries (increasingly popular since the turn of the century) is however also bound to decline taking into account the developments in Portugal over the last 20 years. Right after its entry into EU there was a boost of textile production in Portugal, and this is now completely reversed as a result of salaries that have gone up too much. The same will be valid for the “new” countries.
In order to develop a strategic plan for the new world order, Euratex has developed its European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing (based on the recommendations of the European Textile and Clothing High Level Group) and this platform was launched June 7-8, 2006 in Brussels.
The initial result is the Strategic Research Agenda in which several recommendations can be found. One of them points to a move from commodities to specialty products based on flexible high-tech processes and by this the era of mass manufacturing of textile products in Europe is doomed to come to an end.
How do technical textiles fit in this strategic agenda?
First of all, it is necessary to have an idea what technical textiles really are. A definition of technical textiles is not straightforward. A definition could be that a technical textile is a product that is mainly (but not exclusively) used for its performance, function and properties as opposed to its aesthetic (or decorative) characteristics.
Currently, technical textiles count for almost 30 % of EU-activities in textiles and clothing. This figure has to be used with extreme caution. In some countries (Germany, Belgium, …) this figure is much higher while it is definitely lower in countries such as Portugal, Spain, …, although rising. The rise of the share of technical textiles is accompanied by a (strong) reduction in conventional textile manufacturing / products so that a better indication of the real value of technical textiles should come from (the change in) its absolute figure (volume and value).
Nevertheless, technical textiles can be considered as a key sector which still has a future for European activities! But also in technical textiles global competition will prevail. India’s government has identified that sector as one of the thrust areas and has assured its support for development in order to become a leading exporter of various technical textile products. South-Korea has been severely hurt by China in its textile and clothing industry. In order to assist the industry, the government has set up a joint research and development arrangement with local companies and academics for a five year project. The goal is high-tech products (clothes, …). The Chinese Academy of Sciences intensively stimulates research about nanotechnology for textiles (clothing) in order to commercialize this promising technology. So, whatever the developments about (technical) textiles and clothing are in Europe, globalization definitely has started a never ending and fierce competition!
Why can we believe to have a chance not to lose the battle about technical textiles in global competition? Contrary to the past, an immense role has to be played by science and technology from other disciplines, such as chemistry and more particularly physical chemistry, biotechnology, electronics and photonics, medicine, special machine manufacturing and … nanotechnology. In all these areas the “old world” has a vast knowledge, a long and strong tradition and has always been at the forefront of developments. Using this unique situation / position and combining all the advanced or most recent expertise available leading to a multidisciplinary approach in the development of new technical textiles / clothing, this will ensure a viable textile (related) activity in Europe that for a very long time will not be beaten!
So, using our knowledge, our strong tradition in research at research centres (universities, private institutions, …), our first class educational systems, we certainly can secure a future for technical textiles in global competition. There is no need to cover everything : a few areas of technical textile products can be chosen. Main areas can be :
- (bio)medical textiles : for health-care, wound curing, …
- electronic textiles : sensing devices and actuation elements in garments, …
- interactive textiles : smart apparel
- protection / security : against bullets, chemical and biological agents, shielding, …
- energy : photonic textiles, wearable solar cells, energy storage, …
- environment : nanofibres for filtration, …
- sporting goods : composite materials, artificial turf, …
Textile-based products in these areas likely will generate enough added value to companies in order to guarantee a sustainable activity. The key however to all this is lasting high quality research resulting in complex knowledge-based high-tech innovative products (and processes), mostly for niche applications.
What is the role of the Commission in all this? It is known that the textile industry in Europe is characterized by a large number of small (and medium) sized enterprises. Most of them have a lack of permanent R&D staff, nor have a significant R&D budget which means that only a small number of them have the capacity (or the actual profitability) to engage in a long-term innovation strategy. Therefore, the role of the EU funding (in addition to regional, national or own resources) is to help to overcome the (existing) fragmentation of textile (and clothing) research and so to guarantee long-term cutting-edge research work in a co-operative way. Stable and strategic partnerships have to be built among (university) research centres and industry across Europe with “excellence” as the ultimate goal guaranteeing a successful process of (industrial) transformation! Once this has been established, strategic and consistent management decisions can complete the picture.
What about nanotechnology? This rather young (?) technology definitely will change society in the medium-term (about 3 to 5 years). Still a curiosity in (technical) textiles some years ago, now an avalanche of new textile products is waiting to leave the laboratories (and the companies) to make our daily lives nicer and more comfortable, guaranteeing a bright future. Examples are nanotubes for extreme strength (and conductivity) in yarns, nanofibres for electronic circuits, smart textiles, anti-body odour fibre, superhydrophobic and so clean surfaces (Lotus effect), photocatalytic self cleaning surfaces (for curtains, carpets, …), extreme strong antimicrobial finishes, better UV protection and wrinkle recovery, … . Although still underestimated and mostly unknown by the public, nanotechnology applied in textiles will sweep the world. It has endless possibilities, will open exciting opportunities and does have the power to make the (technical) textile industry a very competitive industry! Nanotechnology will revitalize and rejuvenate the textile world. It will help to create a high-tech image of textiles to the public and by doing so, it will have the capacity to become appealing to youngsters. The latter is the only way to reverse the negative trend in participation by freshmen in textile education. That positive development is the key to a new future for textiles in general, in Europe!
Prof. Dr. Paul KIEKENS
Ghent University, Department of Textiles
Ghent, Belgium
February 2006
paul.kiekens@UGent.be
Textile et Habillement : quelles perspectives de développement et de croissance dans le monde occidental?
1) Introduction
La Chine étant membre du WTO depuis 2001, a créé une nouvelle phase dans le marché international. Depuis lors, le monde est devenu un village global où la production a lieu préférablement à des endroits où les frais de production sont les plus limités possibles. Jusqu’à présent, la Chine ainsi que l’Inde semblent être avantagés dans ce nouveau marché global. Un nouveau modèle compétitif pour les industries mondiales doit être développé – ceci étant particulièrement le cas pour le textile et l’habillement, souvent considérés comme “industries d’entrée” dans l’industrialisation. La libéralisation des marchés continuera à avoir une grande influence sur les marchés du textile et de l’habillement dans les années qui viennent. Afin de faire face à la nouvelle situation, chaque pays / chaque région doit analyser profondément ses points forts et faibles, ceci permettant de prendre les mesures nécessaires.
Le nord-ouest de la France et les Flandres occidentale et orientale ont toujours été des régions de textile très importantes – remontant au Moyen Age où des villes comme Gand, Bruges et Ypres ont créé leur richesse par la production et le commerce dans le textile / les matériaux textiles. Les changements des dernières années ont provoqué une rupture avec le passé : depuis le nouveau millénaire, une baisse significative dans les activités textiles dans nos régions est constatée. Le commencement avait déjà eu lieu dans les années dix-neuf cents quatre-vingt-dix et a été accéléré énormément au tournant du siècle. Le phénomène ne se limite pas à nos régions, mais est un fait pour tout le monde occidental, où certaines régions ont été / sont influencées très particulièrement.
Il n’y a pas si longtemps que l’industrie textile et l’industrie de l’habillement étaient caractérisées par une culture / mentalité assez “fermée”. Le secteur n’introduisait guère d’innovations et continuait à se baser sur des technologies et des produits qui avaient déjà du succès depuis des dizaines d’années. Le développement du marché Européen et la disparition des dictatures communistes vers les années quatre-vingt-dix étaient le premier grand défi pour les industries textiles et habillement en Europe. A ce moment déjà, il est devenu clair que cette industrie était très vulnérable et que le succès était basé principalement sur des frais de production les plus bas possibles ! Innovation (ou innovation technologique) n’était pas un mot courant. Il y a cinq ans environ, il est devenu clair qu’une révolution a commencée. La base du succès de notre industrie étant déterminée de façon dominante par des frais bas de production, il s’agit d’un aspect avantageux pour les pays d’Asie qui peuvent employer des ouvriers en masse aux salaires bas et quasi illimité. En même temps, ils copient ou reprennent des technologies simples qui sont typiques pour l’industrie textile.
La chute des industries concernées dans nos régions n’a pas échappé aux jeunes et leurs parents. Les parents s’interrogent sur l’avenir de leurs enfants quand ils les encourageraient de faire des études dans le domaine du textile. La conséquence est une baisse importante dans le nombre d’étudiants dans l’enseignement textile. Cette participation était déjà un point problématique dû à une image peu flatteuse de notre industrie, p.ex. les salaires qui ne savent pas toujours concurrencer avec ceux dans d’autres secteurs (chimie, industrie pharmaceutique, …). La croissance de nouveaux secteurs comme la biotechnologie, l’informatique, l’électronique, dont le ICT, a encore augmenté la pression dans les dix dernières années. Les jeunes ont en effet un grand choix et choisissent souvent des secteurs / professions captivant(e)s, qui semblent avoir plus de futur et qui paient mieux – on ne peut pas leur en vouloir. La participation de jeunes dans l’enseignement textile n’est donc pas une chose évidente. Ceci peut devenir le tendon d’Achille pour les industries textile et habillement à présent.
La situation qui a été présentée jusqu’à présent n’est donc pas si optimiste. Les industries textiles et habillement souffrent d’un nombre de points faibles qui exigent des changements profonds afin de pouvoir réaliser un renversement de la situation ou au moins de pouvoir préserver un futur pour notre secteur.
2) Que faire ? Quelles sont les solutions ?
Il est évident que la région autour de Lille / Roubaix ainsi que les Flandres occidentale et orientale possèdent encore toujours une expertise impressionnante qui n’est pas égalée dans le monde sur une surface si limitée. De plus, le niveau de l’enseignement est un atout. Ensuite, il y a l’expérience de plusieurs années dans la recherche, également dans le domaine textile, disponible dans les universités, les grandes écoles et les instituts. Très probablement il n’existe aucune autre région dans le monde qui possède une telle combinaison d’éléments positifs. Si ces éléments peuvent être rassemblés dans un partenariat avec l’industrie et avec le soutien du gouvernement, il est sûr et certain qu’on peut évoluer vers la création d’une “Textile Valley” avec de belles perspectives.
La décision il y a quelques années du gouvernement français de créer une cinquantaine de pôles de compétitivité est une initiative importante pour la région nord-ouest de la France – cependant le pôle textile a été reconnu et peut être développé. Un autre exemple est “Futurotextiles” l’année passée à Lille et qui a eu un grand succès. Une initiative analogue est en préparation à Courtrai – indiquant les efforts du gouvernement flamand envers le textile dans les régions flamandes. Une autre initiative importante en préparation est la création d’un centre d’incubation à Ronse / Renaix (Flandre orientale) qui devrait être opérationnel assez rapidement et qui aura le soutien de l’Université de Gand et probablement du gouvernement flamand.
Tous ces développements démontrent qu’une chance unique est générée afin d’établir les fondements pour une industrie textile nouvelle basée sur la recherche fondamentale et appliquée, sur l’innovation, le transfert de technologie et qui connaîtra une collaboration étroite avec l’industrie, avec des perspectives d’avenir. Les industries textiles et habillement du futur n’auront pas beaucoup en commun avec les industries du siècle passé, c.à.d. il y a environ cinq ans.
Cette nouvelle industrie est basée sur la connaissance et l’innovation – spécialement envers des niches spécifiques – et utilisera la connaissance disponible dans le secteur chimique, électronique, informatique, le monde médical, la navigation spatiale, le monde des composites, la biotechnologie, la nanotechnologie, etc. L’innovation aura lieu principalement par une combinaison de connaissances de domaines différents et mènera au développement de technologies et produits textiles dans des domaines “frontalières” avec une grande valeur ajoutée qui permettra de garantir la durabilité. L’industrie ne devra plus chercher des endroits de production toujours moins chers, mais continuera à se développer à des endroits où la connaissance appropriée est (largement) disponible et qui peut être utilisée et appliquée immédiatement. Etant donné que ces éléments nécessaires sont disponibles dans notre région sur une surface relativement limitée, un avenir est réservé pour une activité textile et habillement “high-tech” avec un caractère multidisciplinaire qui plaira aux jeunes et qui ne mènera pas d’une crise à l’autre.
Il est évident que l’enseignement textile dans cette région joue un rôle principal / crucial. Fonctionner dans un secteur nouveau et innovateur exige des personnes appropriées avec une éducation appropriée. Notre responsabilité est immense. Adaptation de l’enseignement, échange de didactique, échange d’étudiants, de professeurs, internationalisation, le goût de l’initiative, la connaissance de langues, l’intérêt pour la recherche, pour la technologie, la gestion, … - ce sont tous des éléments que l’enseignement doit apporter aux jeunes.
Sans aucun doute, l’industrie joue également un rôle crucial afin de réaliser les objectifs. Plus que jamais, l’interaction enseignement – industrie est impératif au succès. J’espère que mon message est assez convaincant et aidera à construire un avenir promettant dans le domaine du textile et de l’habillement.
3) Conclusion
Mesdames et Messieurs, les dernières années n’ont pas été faciles pour nos régions quand il s’agit de maintenir une industrie textile orientée vers l’avenir et qui attire les jeunes gens. Néanmoins, je suis convaincu qu’une bouffée d’air frais est entrée ces dernières années, une nouvelle conscience qui permet d’établir une industrie textile / habillement d’une façon très spécifique. A ce propos, un enseignement nouveau, amélioré et adapté joue un rôle principal. D’autre part, une activité de recherche solide dirigée par les universités en étroite collaboration avec l’industrie est cruciale.
A ce propos, une collaboration intensive de partenaires complémentaires dans le projet RESIST est d’une importance primordiale. La réussite du projet transfrontalier ouvre de nouvelles perspectives / permet de fonctionner comme exemple pour de projets analogues dans les collaborations interrégionales du futur.
J’aimerais remercier tous les partenaires pour leur collaboration appréciée et réussie et pour les réalisations obtenues. J’espère que ces réalisations peuvent contribuer dans nos régions aux fondements d’une industrie textile moderne, attractive et dynamique du 21ième siècle.
Prof. Dr. Paul KIEKENS
Université de Gand (Belgique), Département Textile
20/06/2007, Roubaix
paul.kiekens@UGent.be
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