Textile design

Studying textile design develops your expertise in range of textile processes, as well as improving your research, project management, teamwork and communication skills

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Clothing/textile technologist
• Colour technologist
• Fashion designer
• Further education teacher
• Higher education lecturer
• Interior and spatial designer
• Printmaker
• Textile designer
• Visual merchandiser

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Art therapist
• Community arts worker
• Conservator
• Illustrator
• Jewellery designer
• Product designer
• Retail buyer
• Secondary school teacher
• Stylist

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

You should start building up a portfolio of your work to showcase your creative and technical skills to employers while you're an undergraduate. It should contain examples of your own ideas as well as your coursework. Make the most of your course by entering competitions, exhibiting your work and visiting industry shows.

You should also try to get some relevant work experience to add to your portfolio. Some courses offer the opportunity to take a year-long placement or shorter placements before your final year. This provides you with practical work experience and the opportunity to make contacts.

Try contacting more established designers, fashion houses and design companies, for example, to ask about placements, work shadowing and possibly getting commissions. Course tutors may be able to help with making contacts.

It's also good to consider roles that may not be directly based within design but are still related. For example, experience in the retail sector will help to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment, as well as developing your commercial awareness. It may also be possible to get voluntary work in community art to help develop your skills.

Networking and making contacts is vital, as they may be able to offer (or help you secure) commissions. If friends or family ask you to produce work for them, this can be included in your portfolio and in the list of commissions on your CV.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

Employers of textile design graduates include:

• design studios and consultancies
• large fashion and design companies
• small specialist design companies
• retail companies
• manufacturing and processing companies that produce clothing, soft furnishings and other textile-based products
• companies specialising in textiles for the automotive industry
• interior design and decoration companies
• carpet design and manufacturing companies
• private clients.

It's sometimes possible to work for the above employers on a freelance basis, perhaps through an agent. This may lead to permanent, full-time employed positions.

You could set up your own business, designing and producing work for exhibitions, direct sale or through retail craft outlets. You may want to combine your textile skills with other skills you may have such as jewellery, leather or ceramics design.

When starting out, you may need an additional job to supplement your income. Many designers and artists have a portfolio career, combining several jobs that might include teaching, community arts work or curating and conservation.

There are also opportunities to work for retail companies in areas such as buying or visual merchandising. Other areas of employment include fashion marketing, advertising and journalism.

Textile design is a global industry and you may find opportunities to work abroad or with an international company.

Find information on employers in retail, creative arts and design, marketing, advertising and PR, and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

A textile design degree equips you with knowledge and hands-on experience in a range of textile processes and techniques, including:

• constructed textiles - such as knitted, woven, stitched and manipulated textiles
• digital textiles - specialising in textiles for fashion, interiors or product design
• mixed media textiles - incorporating a variety of materials and innovative approaches.

You also learn to use computer-aided design (CAD), critically evaluate and interpret materials, research designs and predict trends, and effectively communicate with clients, manufacturing teams, buyers and retailers.

You also develop a range of transferable skills that are valued by all employers, including:

• the ability to work independently, set goals and manage your own workload
• project management skills to see a design project through from conception to completion
• a strong eye for detail
• IT and technical skills
• commercial awareness and an understanding of marketing principles
• the ability to collaborate effectively through teamwork and negotiation
• excellent communication and presentation skills
• the ability to work to deadlines and manage budgets effectively
• research and analysis skills
• creativity, adaptability and problem-solving skills.

Further study

Postgraduate study provides the opportunity to develop and experiment with ideas and techniques and to extend your expertise into related areas.

The job market is competitive, so you may find that doing further study, for example a short professional course or a one-year Masters, helps give you the edge - particularly when combined with relevant work experience - and enables you to further develop your portfolio. Do your research, however, and make sure that any course you're interested in meets employers' requirements and enhances your overall skill set.

If you want to move into a related job, such as further education teacher, journalist or conservator, you may need to undertake further postgraduate or professional training.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in fashion and textile design.

What do textile design graduates do?

Fifteen months after graduating, 19% of textile design graduates are employed in design-related fields. This includes 12% working as clothing, fashion, and accessories designers, 5% in other design roles, and 2% as interior designers.

Find out what other graduates are doing after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.