Agriculture
Agricultural textile fabrics comprise a broad and diverse range of woven, non-woven, and knitted materials developed to meet the specific demands of modern agricultural and environmental applications. These fabrics are widely used across agriculture, landscaping, horticulture, floriculture, and aquaculture, where they perform essential functions such as crop protection, soil reinforcement, shading, insulation, filtration, and moisture control.
Designed to operate reliably in challenging outdoor conditions, agricultural textiles are engineered for strength, durability, and resistance to UV radiation, moisture, chemicals, and mechanical stress. They help regulate growing environments by controlling temperature, light exposure, and airflow, creating optimal conditions for plant growth and animal welfare. In addition, these fabrics play a critical role in erosion control, weed suppression, and water management, supporting more efficient land use and resource conservation.
By improving productivity, reducing input losses, and extending growing seasons, agricultural textile fabrics contribute to higher yields and more consistent output. They also support sustainable farming practices by minimizing the need for chemical treatments and reducing environmental impact. As global demand for food continues to rise, advanced agricultural textile solutions are increasingly important for enhancing efficiency, resilience, and sustainability throughout the agricultural value chain.
Agricultural fabrics & textiles
For ages, textiles have been used in the field of agriculture for processes in food production and extensively in the fishing industry in the form of products like nets, ropes, and lines. In addition, textiles are also used to protect crops and fertilization. As the world’s population continually grows, stress on agricultural crops has increased. It is, therefore, necessary to increase the yield and quality of agro-products.
What does agro textiles mean?
Textile fabrics have a long history of use in agriculture. The term “agro textiles” now is used to categorize the woven, nonwoven and knitted fabrics used for agricultural and horticultural applications including livestock protection, shading, weed and insect control, and extension of the growing season.
Agro textiles are used in farming, animal husbandry, and horticulture to control the hazardous influences of environmental and climatic factors on crop production and cattle breeding, regulate the nutrient level intake of plants, and assist in the process and postharvest operations.
What are the functions of agro textiles?
Agro textiles are an emerging sector among the twelve sectors of technical textiles. Agro textiles products can be woven, non-woven, or knitted (mostly Agro textile products are knitted) and are used for various purposes
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- Used to prevent soil erosion and to build roads for afforestation
- Used as a cover for the greenhouse
- To make rows of crops on the land
- The land is used to clear unwanted grassy areas
- Used as resistant to sunlight
- Used to prevent excess air
- Used in agricultural equipment packaging
- Used for fishing
- Protects crops from bird attack
- Increases the water-holding capacity of the land
- Agro textiles can be used in several applications and fields
- Fishing nets: Fishing nets are knitted fabrics
- Windshield: The windshield protects crops, small trees, and plants from strong winds. Healthy trees can be seen if they are protected from strong winds
- Harvesting nets: Fruits, which are susceptible to mold infections, darkened kernels, and insect and bug invasion due to laying on the ground, can be protected by this net
- Packing Material: These nets are used for packing various farm products
- Bird protection net: It protects seeds, crops, and fruit from damage, caused by birds and other pests. But the mesh size is big enough to allow the movement of bees
- And many more
Important properties of agro textiles
The key functional properties of agro-textile products are as follows:
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- Light Weight
- Weather resistance
- Resistance to micro-organisms
- Resistant to solar radiation
- Resistant to ultraviolet radiation
- Abrasion resistance
- Water conservation
- Stable construction
- Tensile strength
- Protection properties
Innovations in agro textiles
The global rise in population and growing demand for better and high-quality vegetables and fruits are the primary growth driver for agro textiles. According to the United Nations, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) the global food production capacity will have to increase by 70% from the present level by 2050 to suffice the population.
Currently, the agro-textile market is dominated by polyolefins or petrochemical-based agro-textiles. However, climate change and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions have raised concern about the future oil-based economy, and petroleum-based agro-textiles have become expensive and less desirable in the modern world.
Other products include agro-textiles based on natural fibers, which degrade so fast in the environment that their recovery from the field becomes difficult to even by efficient recycling or combustion. Hence, the development of bio-based agro-textiles is foreseen to initiate economic growth.