The rush to Bangladesh began in earnest in 2005, when an international trade quota system called the Multi Fiber Arrangement expired, lifting the strict limit on the amount of textiles and garments developing countries could export to developed countries.

WSJ: American Taste for Cheap Clothes Fed Bangladesh Boom

And examples of ancient silk garments, accessories and textiles are being shown outside China for the first time as Nottingham Castle hosts the Living in Silk exhibition as part of the East Midlands' Cultural Olympiad, the council said.

BBC: Olympic torch relay to stop in Nottingham

Rather than simply attaching sophisticated pieces of technology to garments, a large area of research is creating textiles that have electronics built into them.

CNN: Future dress code: Very smart