Abstract: Hi-tech fibers consist of six major categories of fibers (specialty fibers) as well as highperformance and multi-functional conventional fibers, which represent the development direction of chemical fiber industry. In recent years, the hi-tech fiber sector has been flourishing worldwide, related process and technology constantly renovated, industry chain completed and improved, energy-saving processes increasingly adopted and production scale enlarged. With more efforts being made to applied research and new markets being opened up, these fibers will gradually become the new growth potential and major source of revenue for the textile industry. By the end of the 13th “Five-year Plan” period (2016-2020), China is expected to establish a hi-tech fiber industry pattern with complete-range and diversified products. The paper elaborates on several representative hi-tech fibers by introducing their latest development and making suggestions on future development, offering reference to related industries and enterprises.

Key words: hi-tech fiber; high temperature-resistant fiber; flame-resistant fiber; chemical-resistant fiber; the 13th “Five-year Plan”