How to Become a Textile Designer?

Fashion is a booming industry. Every now and then a new trend gets picked up. These trends are materialized by designers who are visionaries who carve the beauty out of clothes.

Fashion is above and beyond just people walking on ramps with branded clothes on. It takes many years to build one's career and many sleepless nights to form the kind of brand that everyone is looking for in the industry. The fashion industry is the lifeline of many humans around the world.

The textile industry is commonly known as the "Creative Industry." Here, the personal artistic ability of a designer can be comprehended. This is the only industry where the artist or designer has to create the best product keeping in mind the texture, print, and pattern of different fabrics.

That being said, we need to acknowledge the presence of one such sub-group in the fashion world, who have provided us with the most basic element in the world of fashion, the textile designers.

How to Become a Textile Designer in 2023? — How to Become a Textile Designer?

Who are Textile Designers?

Textile Designers are professionals who create and design the textile that is used as a product, for making apparel, and many other products like shoes, bracelets, etc.

It is very different from fashion designing, as in the former the functional value of the product is focused on just the aesthetics.

Textile Designers are into designing fabric, and yarns through different processes like weaving, knitting, and others. It thus deals with the technical and fundamental aspects of the fashion world.

What is the job role of a Textile Designer?

A textile designer shows his artistic talent by creating a variety of textile products. They mainly manufacture and produce fabrics and materials.With the advancement of technology, many programs for textile design are now available.

There is a software called Computer Aided Design (CAD) that aids Textile Designers in various ways. Many designers consider it best to design textiles by hand, while many prefer to use this software for textile designing. This also saves time, and new designs are also seen.

Generally, a textile designer has to do the following -

Understanding the product
Design through drawing or by hand,
Material selection
To Modify designs for the customers
Research and follow the new trendy designs
Great communication with the clients
Have all the information about the suppliers and manufacturers
Attend and exhibit at trade fairs for the textile expo.

How to get into the field of Textile Designing?

The first thing you need to check off the list of becoming a Textile Designer is a mere passion for fabric and everything that falls in the zone. You need to have a creative outlook on things and will need to have intuition with what color goes with what shape and the texture of the fabric or yarn as well.

Obviously, it isn't a skill that you wake up with, on a random Monday morning. You need to develop it, as you spend more time on fabrics and learning on how to understand them.

In terms of academics which is pretty important unless you are a prodigy in the fabric designing zone and have connections in the industry, you need to follow the following steps:

You can take up any stream for your class 12 Board Examination or its equivalent from any institution.
Textile Design students can take up courses such as Industrial Designing, Bachelor of Arts in Design, Bachelor of Arts in Textile, and Bachelor of Fine Arts.
The students will have to study the basics of elements such as texture, shapes, and colors.
You can take up a Masters in the same course following your Undergraduate Program.
Once you are done with your Academics, you need to get into the field.

What are the skills required for Textile Designer?

Excellent understanding of fabric and materials.
Knowledge of color, shapes, sizes, texture of different combination of fabric.
Good communication skills to handle your clients and team.
Teamwork is of high importance, as you will always find working with many people simultaneously for each project.
Understanding of the need of the client, and transforming the same into sketches so that you can get a better idea.
Must be able to use and operate textile design software, such as CAD.
Should have a sound knowledge of graphic skills for textile designing.

Also Read: What is Fashion Communication? Scope and Career opportunities

What are the Career Options in Textile Designing?

As a Career you will be finding yourself working for companies, designing and developing ideas for fabrics.
You will be testing new types and forms of fabric and how they will go with certain clothes.
You can also work as a freelancer and work on your own.
You will find jobs in the interior designing industry as well where focus will be on furnitures, bed lines, rugs etc.

How much will you be earning as a Textile Designer?

According to payscale.com the average salary of a Textile Designer is Rs. 3,71,878. The salary increases with experience and location as well the companies you have worked with. Initially the pay be a bit low, but with time you will find that the salary will improve.