Technical Textiles Designer

Typical Salary

£16,000 To £35,000

Typical Hours

40 to 42 a week

9am to 5pm

How To Become a Technical Textiles Designer

You can get into this job through:

a university course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You can do a degree or postgraduate qualification in:

textile design
materials science
textile technology
product design

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

a degree i

Apprenticeship

You could do a textile technical specialist higher apprenticeship.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You can start as a textiles or materials technician and do further training on the job to specialise in technical fabrics research and development.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

design skills and knowledge
knowledge of engineering science and technology
the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
analytical thinking skills
complex problem-solving skills
the ability to work on your own
knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

developing ideas for products that meet certain performance standards
identifying the suitability and availability of materials
creating designs using computer software
developing prototypes
assessing the technical performance of textiles
recording and interpreting test results
writing technical reports and estimating costs
researching new development methods and technologies

Working Environment

You could work in a laboratory or in a factory.

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career Path & Progression

You could work in a research department for a university or company that specialises in technical textiles, for example carbon fibre or graphene.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about careers and training in textile design from The Textile Institute.

You can find out more about creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.