Assessment and technological forecasting in the textile industry: From first industrial revolution to the Industry 4.0

Each Industrial Revolution played a key role in the production-consumption pattern of textile products. Given the complexity of the Textile and Apparel Industry, the production systems have varying degrees of conceptual and technological innovation. Thus, the objective of this research is to present a model that includes the projection of technological changes in the production and consumption of textiles from the contrast between the descriptions of patents, scientific articles, and trends and tools of the Industry 4.0. It was possible to infer that the components of the Textile and Apparel Industry are undergoing an evolutionary process, which includes the automation of machinery parts and processes. The technological tools that characterize the Industry 4.0 are not yet fully integrated into textile production, and the challenge for the textile industry is to keep up with these innovations that impact on production, on business models, on consumer habits, and on social aspects. Keywords: textile and apparel industry, Industry 4.0, assessment, forecasting.