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.
- Who is a Textile Designer?
- Essential Skills to become a Textile Designer
- Top Institutes in India for Textile Designing
- Career Opportunities in Textile Design
- Salary of a 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. Textile designs are used in clothing, home furnishings, accessories, etc. They 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
| Skills | Features |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| Trend Awareness | Textile designers must be aware of trends in the market. They should have knowledge of the market and products available. |
| Software Skills | It is important for designers to know the software which is 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.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
- National Institute of Design (NID)
- Pearl Academy
- Symbiosis Institute of Design
- World University Of Design
- Anant National University, Ahmedabad
- Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art, Mumbai
- BHU Varanasi - Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali
- Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida
| Institute/College |
Course |
Fee (Estimated) |
|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
|
B.Des/M.Des |
₹12.3 -14.1 L (tuition); ₹16–17 L total with hostel |
| National Institute of Design (NID)
|
B.Des/M.Des |
16.84 L (tuition fees) |
| BHU Varanasi - Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
|
MFA Textile Design |
INR 5.76 |
| Pearl Academy |
B.Des |
16.2 L - 29.94 L (tuition fees) |
| Anant National University, Ahmedabad |
B.Des Sustainable Fashion and Textile Design |
22.02 Lakhs |
| Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art, Mumbai
|
BFA Textile Designing |
8,500 (1st Yr Fees) |
| Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali |
MA Textile Designing |
1.06 Lakhs |
| Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida |
B.Des Textile Design |
3.78 Lakhs |
| KSID, Kollam Kerela |
B.Des Textile & Apparel |
4–6 L total |
| Amity School of Fashion Technology, Noida. |
B.Des |
₹8–15 L |
| University of Lucknow (Fine Arts), Lucknow |
BFA in Textile Design |
2–3 L total |
| Govt. Fine Arts College, Chennai |
BFA/MFA Textile Design |
3 - 4 L total |
Career Opportunities in Textile Design
A textile designer has many opportunities to explore. Some of the career paths are given below.
- Fashion & Apparel: Task involves designing fabrics for clothing brands and couture houses.
- Home Furnishings: Designing is concerned with home furnishing and home decor, 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
| Experience Level |
Annual Salary (Estimated) |
|---|---|
| Entry Level / Freshers |
₹3.3 L to ₹5.2 LPA |
| Early Career (1 to 4 yrs) |
₹4.1 LPA |
| Mid Level (4 to 9 yrs) |
₹4.2 L to ₹5.0 LPA |
| Senior Level (8 to 12+ yrs) |
₹7.0 L to ₹11.5 LPA |
| Very Senior / Specialized |
₹9.1 L – ₹9.2 LPA |
| Geographic Variation (Varanasi) |
₹6.18 L – ₹10.65 LPA |

Sayeba Naushad is a commerce postgraduate from Banaras Hindu University. She has over five years of experience in content writing and editing. She has a nose for current events in design field. At Shiksha.com, she s
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