Feb 16th, 2015 
By: Textile design is essentially the science of textiles to solve design problems. It involves the process of design development and creation for different types of textiles and fabrics. Textile designers are specifically engaged in the creation of these designs that will be used repetitively in textile products such as clothes, carpets, sheets, drapes and many other such household paraphernalia, which, also in other words come together under one category as, ‘interior decor’.
Textile design gives you a wide palette to choose from, while creating your designs and this is one field where you are allowed a completely free hand in design development and creation. Your skill essentially depends on your choice of colors that complement each other well and the way you prepare your designs according to the different types of fabrics involved in the production process. Textile design courses will equip you with design implementation in both traditional as well as modern ways of textile production. Most importantly textile designers are also social scientists to some extent, because they can use the powerful medium of design, colors, and images to provoke society into thinking on its burning issues.
If we look at the kinds of textiles that are used in our daily lives, we will realize that we have designs and patterns almost everywhere, right on our clothing, carpets, drapes, towels, and rugs. This permanence and dense prevalence of designs in our lives makes the role of a textile designer that much important and beneficial for the society. Nicely woven designs not only enhance and add value to a plain textile; they also enrich people’s lives through improving their home decor.
As a Textile designer, one should have the ability to mix and match colors in their minds and evolve appealing and attractive designs, which add value to a consumer. They also should acutely understand as to what and which type of textile will be suitable for bringing their designs into existence. An understanding of the textile material and the colors and designs that work well with that material is also required, because the aim of a textile designer ultimately is to produce a finished product, and is not restricted only to the development and creation of designs.
Also, it goes without being said that the textile industry is a very business savvy industry. It is no secret that fashion changes rapidly in a matter of months and hence textile designers will have to keep their machinery for creative juices running smoothly and at all times. They have to be constantly on their toes with their design patterns and hence in this way textile design also gives one the opportunity to experience the frontiers of human society. In that context, textile designers have to function much like technologists and scientists who are daily focused on evolving new and innovative things with textiles. A textile designer too has a similar mandate, which is that of constantly working at creating newer combinations of colors and designs that keeps the wheels of fashion industry churning.
As a textile designer, a student gets to work in the textile industry in several different roles and types of offices. After the degree course completion many textile manufacturing companies, as well as export houses that are focused on foreign trade in textiles will hire you full time. Textile designers also get to work at frontline retail houses as well as big multinational corporations as their decor counselors. Textile designers also have the option of taking the entrepreneurial route their after this degree – by opening own ventures such as design studios or craft centers.