The sales of technical textile items in Northwest Germany grew by 19.1 percent year-on-year in 2011, according to the Association of the North West German textile and clothing industry.

The increase in sales was especially due to a rise in sales of fibre composites that are used in automotive, aerospace and geotextiles for civil engineering.

The association said employment in textile and garment industries located in Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen and Westphalia rose by 0.4 percent during the year.

The demand for technical textile industry products, especially the ones that are used in health, energy, mobility, environment and climate protection segments, is likely to be good, said Justus Schmitz, President of the association of Northwest German textile and clothing industry.

The garment exports from northwest Germany to Russia also saw huge growth.

Mr. Schmitz said the sales of textile and garment industry in Germany would see a growth of 5 percent year-on-year in 2012.