The firm to race ahead with a textile product (6)
I believe the answer is:
cotton
'a textile product' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'the firm to race ahead' is the wordplay.
'the firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'to race' becomes 'tt'.
'ahead' becomes 'on' (synonyms).
'co'+'tt'+'on'='COTTON'
'with' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cotton that I've seen before include "Natural textile fibre" , "Material" , "Fibre including kapok" , "Golfing man" , "Plant, its fibres for yarn" .)