Textile Designer

Answer 1

A textile designer is part dreamer, part realist. He can envision the cloth as he would like it to appear, and understand the concrete steps required to make that vision a reality. A textile designer understands the nature of the fibers with which he is working without being limited by that nature. A textile designer creates the fabric for furniture, clothing, bed linens, rugs, towels, and many other items. Textile design can be as straightforward as the tie dyed t-shirts that virtually everyone has made at some point in his life, or as complex as creating a new way to combine fibers into a unique texture, inventing a new technique to transfer print to material, or designing the latest light-weight tear-resistant fabric. Some textile designers utilize hand-drawn sketches to guide their design. Other use computer-aided drafts systems (CADS).

Required Education

While an associate’s degree in design and applied arts may open the door to an entry-level position in textile design, most companies require at least a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, design, or textile design. Textile designers specialize in one of two areas – either clothing or interior textiles. In either field, a textile designer is required to have a thorough knowledge of color, pattern, and texture; a firm grasp of the properties of various types of raw materials such as wool or cotton; an intuition for creating textures and designs that are pleasing, whether as a work of art or as fabric for a new runway look; and excellent communication skills to promote his designs.

Salary and Projected Industry Growth

According to Payscale.com, the average salary range for a textile designer is $34,936 to $74,500. However, it is difficult to determine an accurate starting salary given the variety of career options and the differences in pay relative to one’s location. The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics does not break out projected growth specifically for textile design, but predicts an over-all decline in the textile, apparel, and furnishing industry as much of the work is outsourced overseas.