NEW DELHI: Specialised textiles usage in the country’s healthcare sector is expected to touch $ 1 billion by 2016-17 on account of rapid growth in medical segment, a study has said.
Specialised or technical textiles segment is engaged in production of specialised variant of the commodity used by industries.
The country’s healthcare industry is currently estimated at $ 40 billion and is likely to reach a size of $ 142 billion by 2020, according to a study done by IndiaMART Knowledge Services.
“Therefore, the usage of technical textiles like artificial implants and baby diapers in the health care sector is likely to reach $ 1 billion by 2016-17 from $ 409 million at present,” it added.
Though India was exporting surgical dressings, sutures and disposables, it was completely dependent on imports of baby diapers, incontinence diapers, contact lenses and artificial implants.
Unlike conventional textiles, which are highly export intensive, these are import intensive and are mostly used by industrial houses for various purposes.