Innovative textiles at the heart of the New Industrial France

The government devised thirty-four plans to build a New Industrial France. Yves Dubief is in charge of the ‘<i>Textiles techniques et intelligents</i>’ plan which has three lines of approach: firstly, the need to take back control of the raw materials thanks to organically-sourced and recyclable fibres; secondly, the importance of having a presence in growth markets in the ‘intelligent textile’ sector (which includes sport‚ leisure and protection); and, thirdly, the development of the textile factory of the future (with new methods of assembly‚ 3D printing, etc.). The textile industry‚ a pioneer of the first industrial revolution‚ is showing once again how it is one of the most innovative industries which currently exists in France. Its new materials, technologies and products provide both a functional benefit (in terms of weight‚ protection‚ transmission of information or energy) and a societal benefit (comfort‚ hygiene, protection of the environment, etc.) to an increasingly large number of consumers, who are either private individuals or companies in varied sectors such as aeronautics, health, the automobile industry, the construction industry, cosmetics or agriculture.