India is emerging as significant market for technical textiles. The sportech is one of the fast-growing sectors of technical textile which contributes around 7% of Indian technical textiles market. Sports textile sector is divided in three major categories such as sportswear, sport goods & sport accessories. Further, sportech comprises of technical textile products used in sports and leisure such as sport shoes, sports composites, flying and sailing sports, parachute fabrics, artificial turf, ballooning fabrics etc. The market growth recorded in last 5 years by major sports brands in India has been 18 to 22%, as compared to sub-5% in US and EU; it is further expected to grow at 15% CAGR through 2025, with 66% of it contributed to men’s wear, 31% to women sportswear and 3% from kidswear.
According to a research report published by Global Industry Analysts Inc., the global market for Sports and Fitness Clothing is projected to reach the $231.7 billion by 2024. The research also indicates that technological developments designed to improve comfort and performance have also led to the growth in sales of sports apparel. The report points out that the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing region, with a CAGR of 6.9 per cent over the forecast period. Sales came from emerging markets, such as India and Thailand, as well as the US, the world’s largest sportswear market.
Introduction
Sports textiles are one of the various branches of technical textile. In various sports, the sportswear that players wear such as: jerseys or T-shirts, trousers, shorts, caps, footwear, etc., and some sports accessories is used is known as sports textile. This type of clothing has some special features, which have been made possible by the use of high-tech and smart textile technology. Increasing interest in active sports and out-door leisure activities like flying, sailing, climbing and cycling has led to immense growth in the consumption of textile materials in manufacturing sportswear, leisure wear and related goods & equipment.
A sport is a physical activity and it is recognised as activity based in physical dexterity. Sports are major source of entertainment for many people of world and it is sector which draws larger crowds. Textile plays a major role in sports and without textiles sports existence is very difficult we can say. Sports textiles, which is technical textile component, are growing in wider range with sophisticated technology. Developments in technology has seen in manufacturing sportswear to ensure special features for better performance in their activities and to provide comfort to player. The use high functional and smart textiles have proven their high level of performance and succeeded in their functional properties. Not only as sportswear, but also the textile materials are used as sports equipment’s and components manufacturing as well. According to the functional requirements of sports, special apparels for specific sports are been manufactured. Many fibres, yarns, fabrics and finishes developed to meet the needs of the sports sector. Sportswear is clothing including footwear worn for sports or exercises, it also includes garments like t-shirts, tracksuits etc. and there also specialised apparels for wet suits for swimming, cycling etc.
