ABSTRACT
The principal purpose of this chapter is to identify, outline and discuss briefly research, development, innovations and concerns relating to aspects of textile manufacture and products in the early-twenty-first century, including various product innovations, such as the use of microfibres and nanofibres, the introduction of environmentally friendly fibres, the use of high-performance fibres and the range of ‘smart’ textiles. Attention is focused also on environmental concerns faced by the textile industry in the early-twenty-first century.
