Career in Textile designing

Textile designing is part of fashion designing and involves producing patterns for cloth used in clothing, household and decorative textiles such as mats. Textile designing comprises of both surface and structural designs. Structural designs uses techniques like knitting, weaving, crocheting or pressing together fibers while surface design uses dyeing, printing, texturing or embroidering. A course in textile design mainly equips students with an understanding of all the important areas of textile design. The textile industry is one of the oldest and still growing industries in India. It offers good avenues of employment.

Courses and eligibility:

The basic eligibility to pursue a diploma and degree in textile design is 10+2 in any stream. For post-graduate courses the minimum qualification is graduation in textile design or allied subjects. Many colleges in India offer various degree, diplomas and PG degrees in this area. Most institutions admit students through entrance tests, conducted by the institute concerned. Specialized courses in textile design are also offered at postgraduate level.

Career prospects:

As the market for textile products is increasing every year, the increased business is creating a wide range of career opportunities for textile designers. A textile designer can be employed in fashion, garment, home furnishing and the interiors segment among many industries. Export houses offers good employment opportunities to trained professionals. Government sponsored and private silk, handloom, khadi, jute and craft development organizations offer good opportunities to designers. Experienced textile designers can start their own textile and related works.

Remuneration:

Fresh graduates from textile design institutes can earn Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 per month. With experience, the salary can go upto Rs. 40,000 to Rs.50,000. Freelance textile designers have good opportunities to generate huge income; their income depends upon the nature of their assignments. In export houses experienced textile designers may draw Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per month. 

Top Institutes of Textile Design

• Apeejay Institute of Design, New Delhi;
• Arch Academy of Fashion, Art & Design, Jaipur;
• Army Institute of Fashion Design, Bangalore;
• Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai;
• JD Institute of Fashion Technology at Mumbai, New Delhi, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, and Nagpur;
• National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad;
• National Institute of Fashion Design at Chandigarh and Kolkata;
• National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) at Bangalore, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi;
• Pearl Academy of Fashion at New Delhi and Jaipur;
• Raffles Design International, Mumbai;
• Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai,           
• Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai;
• Srishti School of Design, Bangalore;
• Symbiosis Centre of Design, Pune;