How to become a Textile Designer: Skills, Institutes, Career Opportunities and Salary

Textile design is one of the emerging career paths for design students. If you are creative and love fabrics and colours, then this is the right choice for you. Read on to get detailed information on skills, qualifications, top institutes, and career prospects of a Textile designer.

Textile Designer

Who is a Textile Designer?

A person who creates original designs from fabrics, including patterns, prints, textures, colors, materials, etc., is known as a Textile Designer. These textile designs are used in clothing, home furnishings, accessories, etc. Textile designers work with fashion designers, interior designers and manufacturers. Being a fashion designer is about balancing creativity, technical knowledge and trends.

Essential Skills to become a Textile Designer

To become a textile designer, one should have a combination of skills, like creativity, technical knowledge, theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Some of the skills that can be attained by practice and education are:

• Creativity and Colour: One should have the ability to create appealing designs and have knowledge of color theories and harmonies.
• Technical knowledge: One must gain technical knowledge, like weaving, knitting, printing and dyeing.
• Keen Observation: Textile designers must have keen observational skills. They must pay attention to the minute details, design, and ensure that every pattern aligns.
• Trend Awareness: Textile designers must be aware of the trends in the market. They should have knowledge of the market and products available.
• Software Skills: In today’s world, it is important for designers to know the software which are used to create designs. Some of the software are Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and CAD.

Top Institutes in India for Textile Designing

To become a textile designer, one must have a degree that will strengthen your raw talent and skills and will give one industry exposure. One can pursue the following programmes/courses:

• UG and PG degrees, like B.Des, M.Des, BFA, MFA in Textile Design
• Diploma and certification courses in the Textile industry
• Specialized training in textile design

Some of the popular institutes for Textile designing are:

1. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
2. National Institute of Design (NID)
3. Pearl Academy
4. Symbiosis Institute of Design
5. World University Of Design
6. Anant National University, Ahmedabad
7. Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art, Mumbai 
8. BHU Varanasi - Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
9. Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali
10. Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida

Career Opportunities in Textile Design

A textile designer has abundant opportunities to explore. Some of the career paths are given below:

• Fashion & Apparel: Here, the task involves designing fabrics for clothing brands and couture houses.
• Home Furnishings: Here, designing is concerned with home furnishing and home décor, which includes creating patterns, designs, etc., for curtains and bedding.
• Automotive & Industrial Textiles: Developing fabrics for interiors, uniforms, and equipment.
• Freelance & Entrepreneurship: It includes starting your own label or textile studio.

Salary of a Textile Designer

The salary of a textile designer depends on the experience level. An entry-level textile designer can earn up to 3-5 LPA in India, whereas a textile designer at mid-level can earn up to INR 6 to 10 LPA. A well-experienced designer can earn more than 10 LPA, and it varies depending on projects and clients.