The concept of technological innovation is rather new. Innovation is now presented as the solution for problems such as unemployment, external trade deficit, economic crisis...
To innovate enables businesses to stand out in markets, to bring add-value to their products, and to capture new markets. In short, to increase their competitiveness.
Most industrialised countries tend to promote innovation, which is a lever for financial growth.
France has generally not been considered as a very competitive country. According to a European study of 2006 from the Institute of Economic Research on Innovation, France ranks as a “follower”, way behind countries like Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Japan... We can easily understand then why it is necessary for France to support and encourage the innovative companies, especially SMEs. The main means of support of Innovation is R&D. R&D is not instantly profitable, therefore public aid is needed, especially for SMEs.
In the textile industry, the need to innovate and to head towards the production of high value-added innovative products is essential to prevent relocation and outsourcing of traditional textile materials (clothing). Moreover, the respect of standard specifications is an issue for the technical textile industry. Inside the EU, a whole set of standards concerning personal protective equipment was developed: EN 465, 466 and 467 (chemical protection), EN 469 and 1486 (fire protection), ENV 50354 (protection against thermal and electric risks)…
There are several types of innovation :
- Breakthrough innovation, based on a technological upheaval
- Incremental innovation, improving the existing technology or product without creating disruption
- Technological innovation, based on technological transfer which consists of applying an existing technology to a new domain.
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