remaining 48% share their production activity with textiles for home use or apparel. IN 2009, Spanish technical textile production total about 2,100 million Euros, about 24% of total textile/clothes making volumes, with 40% corresponding to exportations. But the various application areas were not evenly distributed. For instance, the most widely represented in terms of technical textiles were those shown on Figure 1.7. However, in terms of production volumes, the major application areas were automotive, personal protection, health- care and hygiene, packing and shipping, and industrial uses. Future perspective for technical textiles and their use The more basic and positive facts pointing to a future for the Spanish technical textile sector are: Domestic market growth. National consumption of technical textiles in general reveals stable growth levels, though different in terms of application areas. Product range expansion. Technical textile industries already positioned are working hard to sign agreements, short or long- term as they may be, with hi-tech partners, in order to develop major projects. They also seek business partners in order to bring into the marketplace a full portfolio of products, for any given application areas. Investing in other countries. Recent investments or joint ventures, on the part of Spanish and foreign companies in Asia, Eastern Europe or Latin American countries, are good examples of approaching new markets. This will surely open the way to many other companies. Reconverting companies in the traditional textile sector. It is evident that new actors, coming not only from the textile industry sector, find an opportunity in technical textiles. Business units are created to innovate, and open new areas to technical textiles, as a new way of expanding, even on the part of textile companies traditionally producing for home use, or offering finishing services to third-party companies. They are planning to orient a part of their activity to the technical textile sector. These companies are well aware of uncertainties involving their efforts. Risks are much greater if they imply major technological changes. The most reasonable way is to create an additional business unit, using their know-how and technologies to gradually reconvert existing products into others, with an added value. Spanish companies are choosing this way, to maintain their competitive edge. In all cases, for both Spanish or foreign companies in developed countries, the future will demand, as stated in the conclusions of the European Technology Platform for the future of textiles and clothing, a vision for 2020, by Euratex: Moving from the production of commodities, such as fibres, thread, fabrics, to specialized products in flexible, high-tech processes. Diversification, expanding to new application areas for textile products. The end of an era of mass production of products, to enter a new paradigm of customization, service, smart production, logistics and distribution. *Material selected and edited by Manuel Domene, journalist Facts and information for this report are from the Tex- tile innovation and technical use fabrics study autho- red by Ariadna Detrell Domingo and Joaquin Detrell Casellas, with excerpts included in the present text. World consumption of technical textile Application area 2000 2005 Estimated 2010 Packing and shipping goods 2.552 2.990 3.606 Automotive, transportation 2.479 2.828 3.338 Industrial use 2.205 2.624 3.257 Home and public areas 2.186 2.499 2.853 Construction and textile architecture 1.648 2.033 2.591 Medical-healthcare-hygiene 1.543 1.928 2.380 Agriculture and fishing 1.381 1.615 1.958 Technical textile for clothing 1.238 1.413 1.656 Sports and leisure 989 1.153 1.382 Civil engineering (geotextiles) 255 319 413 Protective textiles 238 279 340 TOTAL 16.714 19.683 23.744 Reports and Surveys /15