From felt-tip pen to parachute, textiles surround us and, as technology advances, consumers expect more from their textile products. Stain-resistant carpets and upholstery, wrinkle-free clothing, lightweight and waterproof camping gear, tough-wearing construction fabrics - there is an expectation that today's textile products can meet the rigorous demands of comfort, style, price and durability. To meet these demands, the textile industry has embraced high-tech equipment and people with an eye to the future.

Today's textile industry depends on high-tech machinery, research and innovation to perform in a highly competitive global marketplace. In the last decade, the Canadian industry has invested more than $3 billion in new plants, equipment and R&D in an effort to ensure products are cutting-edge and cost-effective.

The January 2003 issue of National Geographic described the wide range of possibilities for textiles of the future. "At first textiles were made from natural materials like silk and wool. With the invention of rayon at the end of the 19th century, fibres became increasingly sophisticated and versatile. Now the field is poised on the edge of a new era. The newest generation of textiles may be so high-tech and smart that they take you into outer space, allow you to communicate and even save your life."