How Many Jobs Are Available In Textiles?

The production of natural and synthetic fibers is the foundation of the multibillion-dollar textile industry that drives the American economy. The textile industry’s supply chain creates, manufactures, and distributes everything from coveralls to bikinis to tent awnings and fabric. This vast industry provides a plethora of artistic and technical career opportunities, including in the high fashion sector.

Yarn, fabric, and synthetic fiber production; wool and cotton farming; fiber dyeing and printing; textile research and development; apparel fashion design; and non-apparel sewn production are all part of the textile industry. Consistent with the National Council of Textile Organizations, 585,240 people were employed within the textile industry in 2019. Additionally, each textile job supports three other jobs within the textile and apparel supply chain.

Textiles is a growing industry with many opportunities for those who want to work in it. So, if you’re considering a career in textiles, this text will help you know how many jobs are available in the textile industry.

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How Many Jobs Are Available In Textiles?

Textile industry jobs include any occupations that involve working with the planning, production, or promotion of a textile product. There are numerous jobs in the textile field. Below are a number of them.

1. Illustrator

Average Salary: $27,183.

An illustrator creates professional and one-of-a-kind images for his or her business or clients. Illustrators frequently create these images using both traditional artistic methods like drawing or painting and software. An illustrator can work on illustrations for a wide range of media, such as websites, books, newspapers, and magazines. Many of the design principles and techniques employed by illustrators, like color theory and pattern design, are often learned through a textile degree.

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2. Engravers

Average Salary: $30,134.

Engravers use various materials to etch words or images, like wood, stone, glass, or ceramic. They’ll use hand tools or modern artistic lasers to make these etchings. Other responsibilities include stenciling their design before etching, discussing a customer’s specific engraving requirements, and staying current on the newest engraving trends or technology. Although engravers rarely design on textiles, a textile degree can help prepare an engraver to make complex and one-of-a-kind designs on a variety of materials.

3. Weaver

Average Salary: $33,804

A weaver creates fabrics and other woven materials. Many weavers use looms, but others prefer handcrafted designs. Their duties differ depending on whether they work in a commercial setting or as an independent artist. A weaver in a plant, for instance, is probably going to spend more time programming computerized looms to the company’s specifications, whereas independent weavers typically consult their clients to create customized designs. Weavers are often prepared for both the artistic and technical aspects of their profession with a textile degree.

4. Print Manager

Average Salary: $38,411.

A print manager is responsible for all print production staff and operations. The method of creating physical materials for cut and bound paper, like books or magazines, is mentioned as print production. Print managers make sure that the quality of their processes and final print materials meet internal and external client expectations. A textile degree can help aspiring print managers gain a far better understanding of the binding processes used in print production.

5. Stylist

Average Salary: $45,727.

A stylist gives their clients personalized fashion advice. When providing fashion advice to clients, stylists consider several factors, including the client’s preferences, current fashion trends, and the type of fashion event. A stylist may work independently or through a fashion-related agency or company, like a department store. A textile university program can teach aspiring stylists fashion-related concepts and techniques like color theory, fabric type, and repeat patterning.

6. Visual Merchandiser

Average Salary: $49,756.

A visual merchandiser creates and arranges retail store displays. These displays might be created in windows or specific areas of the store, like around the aisles or near the front counter. Visual merchandisers use aesthetic techniques in conjunction with their knowledge of selling and sales tactics, like using color theory to draw customers’ attention to their newest products. Completing a textile program can facilitate your becoming a visual merchandiser by teaching you how to create artistic displays as well as better understand consumer preferences.

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7. Designer of Graphics

Average Salary: $50,440.

For their clients, graphic designers create visual images or layouts. Graphic designers create their unique images using digital software. A graphic designer can create graphics for a variety of media, such as social media posts, websites, company logos, and print materials. While the duties of illustrators and graphic designers occasionally overlap, graphic designers are more likely to create images for mass production, such as company logos or advertisements. Illustrators, on the other hand, typically specialize in customized art. A textile background can teach graphic designers many artistic principles and techniques, such as the use of complementary colors and negative space.

8. Designer of Fashion

Average Salary: $54,885.

A fashion designer creates one-of-a-kind compositions for various types of clothing. Fashion designers make their designs tangible by cutting, draping, and sewing fabric together after sketching them out. Unlike pattern makers, fashion designers focus on how to stitch existing fabrics together rather than creating new patterns. While some fashion designers are also pattern makers, others may collaborate closely with pattern makers to create an original pattern as well as a composition for their fashion design.

A textile background can assist fashion designers in devising new ways to arrange fabrics of various materials, colors, textures, and patterns.

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9. Professor

Average Salary: $55,278.

A professor is a teacher who works at a college or university. Responsibilities vary depending on factors such as their contract with their institution but may include developing class curricula, lecturing or leading workshops, grading papers, and conducting original research. A textile professional may teach a class in a textile program or a related field such as interior design, printmaking, architecture, or marketing. A professor typically needs a higher-level degree, such as a master’s or doctorate, to get a teaching position at a university.

10. Machine Operator

Average Salary: $56,034.

A machine operator operates heavy machinery to complete manufacturing tasks. Machine operators supervise, control, test, troubleshoot, and maintain heavy machinery under their supervision. Machine operators typically specialize in a particular type of machinery. A textile background can provide aspiring machine operators with the knowledge and skill set needed to work with textile machineries such as dyeing, woolen mills, industrial sewing, spinning, and tufting machines.

11 Market Analysts

Average Salary: $78,000

Market researchers gather, analyze, and present marketing data to their clients. Market researchers assist businesses in better understanding their customers and how to interact with them. The type of data they collect and present is usually determined by the needs of the business, but it may include customer opinions, market trends, and strategies for engaging with their target consumers, such as social media posts or contests. Many textile degree programs teach students about textile marketing trends and principles. A market researcher at a textile company may be able to share unique insights into both historical and current textile marketing strategies or trends with their coworkers.

12. Interior Designer

Average Salary: $57,390

Interior designers assist their clients in creating an aesthetically pleasing and functional space within a room. An interior designer considers the colors, fabrics, and functions of each furnishing or decor item in a room when designing it. They may also problem-solve during the interior design process, such as if a budgeting issue arises. Textile degrees can teach aspiring interior designers how to coordinate various fabrics and patterns within a given space.

13. Technical Designer

Average Salary: $59,093.

A technical designer works with other fashion industry professionals to turn their design concepts into tangible products. Technical designers were primarily concerned with a design’s functionality, such as its fit and ability to be mass-produced by plants. Collaboration with manufacturers, ensuring that operations adhere to quality standards, and analyzing the resources required for a new or revised fashion product are all responsibilities. Because many of the courses teach practical skills related to designing functional fabrics, earning a degree in textiles can be an excellent way to prepare for a position as a technical designer.

14. Designer of Patterns

Average Salary: $61,867.

A pattern maker creates templates for various fashion items or interior design elements. A pattern maker’s template makes it easier for businesses to mass-produce artistic and functional designs, such as clothing, accessories, furniture, or linens. Pattern makers can create designs by hand or using digital technology. Some pattern makers may also do some fashion design work, such as cutting or draping fabric, but the majority of them are primarily concerned with creating new pattern designs. A textile degree can teach aspiring pattern makers how to create visually appealing designs that manufacturers can easily mass-produce.

15. Product Designer

Average Salary: $97,605.

A product designer contributes to the overall satisfaction of end users with new or modified products. Product designers typically concentrate on the product’s visual or tangible aspects, but they may also consider its functional or technical elements. A product designer is involved in all stages of product development, from concept development to final testing. A textile background can assist product designers in understanding the fundamentals of combining various technical and aesthetic elements to create a functional product.

Job Outlook for Textile Careers

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, fashion designers should expect a 45% decrease in employment from 2019 to 2029, with more qualified candidates than available jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, apparel manufacturing will decline by 5% between 2019 and 2029. Because the clothing is made in other countries, the number of available fashion designer jobs will be reduced. However, as retailers sell more fashion-inspired clothing, there’ll be a demand for some professionals.

Because the sector is so competitive, aspiring professionals must have as much experience and education as possible when they enter the workforce. It is important to have a strong portfolio of work to show prospective employers. Furthermore, California and New York are likely to have more jobs than other states. As a result, you would possibly have to relocate.

FAQs On How Many Jobs Are Available In Textiles

Why does textile stand out as a career path?

A career in textiles is often both exciting and rewarding. There are numerous job opportunities available in this field. Some textile jobs necessitate a university education, while others don’t. A textile career can include roles like production, management, internal control, and style. Textile demand is increasing by the day.

How many people are employed in the textile industry?

As of 2022, the textile mill industry in the United States employs 168,786 people.

What is the job outlook for textile careers?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, fashion designers should expect a 45% decrease in employment from 2019 to 2029, with more qualified candidates than available jobs.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the textile industry is thriving right now, and permanently.

According to the National Association of Textile Manufacturers (NATTM), textile manufacturing alone generates quite a few jobs within the United States. Not to mention all the other businesses and industries that rely on textiles for their products, starting from clothing retailers to furniture manufacturers to automobile manufacturers.

So, if you would like to work in textiles, there is no reason not to start training now.