The 2010 production value of Taiwan's textile sector is projected at NT$430 billion (US$13.44 billion) , a year-on-year increase of 17.6 percent, the Industry and Technology Intelligence Services (ITIS) said Friday. Taiwan's textile industry is expected to rebound this year from a slump in 2009 when output shrank by 15.7 percent year-on-year, the ITIS said. The integration of various sections of the industry and higher production and research and development levels will contribute to better performance of the sector this year, according to the ITIS. The ITIS analysis, which was based on a report by the non-profit Taiwan Textile Research Institute, noted that Taiwan's textile industry sector, battered by the global economic crunch, posted an overall production value of NT$365.67 billion in 2009, down 15.7 percent from the 2008 level. However, with global economies picking up again, Taiwan's textile industry's output will gain momentum this year if manufacturers seek to develop higher value-added products such as bamboo charcoal fabrics made with the use of nanotechnology, the ITIS forecast. It suggested that the local textile industry also try to create new business niches by developing advanced fabrics and textiles that can be used in energy and transportation technology applications. 