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- A practical role developing, and producing fibres, yarns, and fabrics
- You'll need strong practical skills and IT skills
- You could progress to senior technologist or move into a specialist area
As a textile technologist you'll work on the technical aspects of creating new textiles and fabrics for use in industries like clothing, furniture, or vehicle manufacturing.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Developing new fibres
- Working with designers and customers to meet their needs
- Finding ways to improve the look, feel and lasting quality of fabrics
- Developing and testing chemical processes
- Creating new colours for dyeing and printing processes
- Researching production methods to keep costs under control
- Programming new processes into computers for textile machinery
- Overseeing the production process and visiting suppliers
- Checking the quality of materials and final products
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll normally be based in an office, laboratory, or factory. You may also travel to meet suppliers and customers, and may need to stay away overnight or travel overseas.
You'll need
To become a textile technologist, you could get started by doing a degree in a relevant subjects like textile science, materials science or technology, chemical or physical sciences, production or manufacturing engineering.
You could also get into the industry as a textile operative or technician and work your way up, or you could get into this job through an apprenticeship.
You'll also need strong practical skills and IT skills, the ability to lead a team, creativity, problem-solving skills, and organisational skills.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress to senior technologist or move into a specialist area like research and development or quality management.
You could also move into related areas like sales and marketing or general management.
You could become self-employed and work as a consultant to different companies.