TEXTRANET's activity is thus multi-faceted and mainly aims at:

• Creating a favourable environment for co-operation to foster technical progress;
• Enhancing efforts by co-ordinating their skills;
• Encouraging and supporting every initiative profitable to the textile sector;
• Pinpointing the needs in matters of research and development and implementing the necessary solutions.

SUPPORTED BY A DYNAMIC STRATEGY

To attain this objective, TEXTRANET is developing in a dynamic strategy articulated on two axes. Reinforcing the member's own activity Everyone can benefit from the experience, success, organisation and strong points of others. It is enrichment in the true sense, from which each member can thus benefit in its own right and also for its own region. Organising concerted actions Actions requiring large intellectual investments, both to attain results and to enhance them, usually require a common pooling of efforts, experience and know-how. This is the case, for instance, in setting up data banks, their follow-up, their updating and exploitation. It is also the case in activating research projects - formulation, execution, and finalisation - on specific themes. Technical Centres must then be selected according to their infrastructure, competence and the specialisation of their experts. These centres, associated through TEXTRANET, bring their scientific and logistical support to these various actions and thereby guarantee the best execution of the projects.

DEFINING FIELDS OF ACTION

So as to avoid diluting efforts, TEXTRANET focuses its activities on well-defined fields of activity. Their aims are clear:

• To foster the introduction of advanced technologies and the implementation of new materials
• To develop high-performance and high-technology products, to ensure quality and seek new uses
• To optimise resource exploitation and save on raw and auxiliary materials, water and energy
• To respond to the constraints imposed on the textile industry in matters of:
• Product qualification and certification
• Environmental protection
• Working conditions
• o initiate and encourage any activity that tends to favour the integration of the textile chain's links.

A COROLLARY EFFECT…

TEXTRANET is in a position to contribute a building stone towards European integration. Its objectives and actions actually fall into the more fundamental movements for the construction of Europe. It is thanks to the multiplication and conjunction of initiatives such as TEXTRANET that one will avoid scattering resources and dispersing efforts and that one will speed up the establishment of standards, rules and regulations that will lead to the elimination of trade barriers. This is also the way to reinforce national and regional activities. And, most of all, change the image of a simple co-operation into a true integration of formulations and actions.