Top Skills Needed for Textile Designers in 2025

Published by Shikha Kumari on May 26, 2025

Practical skills are hands-on skills such as drawing, model making, computer software (for example, Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD, or other CAD-based tools), and prototyping.These skills are essentially executed in a tangible manner in order to realize your creative ideas. On the other hand, academic skills include knowledge with regards design theory, art history, visual communication, human behavior, and market trends, all which can influence design decisions that are based on research. Both of these skills play a crucial role in the career of a textile designer in 2025.Regarding skills in the design field, they can be placed into two types of competence: practical skills and academic skills. In this article we will discuss the top skills needed for textile designers in 2025:

Top Practical Textile Designer Skills 2025

Mentioned below are some of the Top Practical textile designer skills 2025 which the designer should be aware of in 2025:

Tools Design Software

Being proficient in digital tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Textile CAD software is necessary to create accurate repeatable patterns, and designs that are ready for production.

Knowledge of Fabric Construction

Knowing how fibers, yarns, and fabrics (weaving, knitting, finishing) are constructed enables designers to design possible and innovative textiles that relate to the material.

Knowledge of Colour

Practical experience in colour painting, colour forecasting, and colour systems helps designers create attractive and market relevant colour palettes for textiles.

Pattern Making and Development of Motifs

Practical knowledge of ways to construct and scale motifs, blocks for screen printing and stenciling, and simulating textures on fabric are essential hands-on skills.

Understanding cloth manufacturing

This process is the very heart and soul of textile designing. A textile designer should be aware of every little and major process of garment manufacturing such as weaving, stitching, seaming etc, which helps the designer in identifying mistakes in the product.

Strong Portfolio development

Having a strong portfolio indicates that a designer takes their job seriously and is experienced enough to work diligently with the future clients. 

Trend Research

Understanding current and historical textile trends, including sustainable and technical textiles, gives designers context for designing new materials.

Effective Communication

The ability to clearly communicate design ideas and collaborate with manufacturers, marketers, and clients is essential to successfully carry out a project.

Top Academic Textile Designer Skills 2025 

Now that the practical set of skills are clear, there are another type of skills a textile designer should possess and given below are those Top academic textile design machine: 

Design Elements and Principles

An understanding of the fundamentals of shape, line, form, texture, balance, harmony, and rhythm as applied to the textile surface is core academic knowledge.

Textile Science and Chemistry

Through the study of dyeing methods, fibre characteristics, testing of textiles, and nanotechnology, a deep scientific understanding of textiles is developed and will inform a designer’s innovative design practice.

Research

Researching about different aspects of textile design provides a systematic framework to explore, understand and innovate different types of materials, fabrics and design processes. It is also essential to understand current market trends and what the designer should follow: consumer behaviour, fashion trends etc. 

Knowledge of Textile history

History is utterly important to understand the present of certain textiles that exist in the world. It is important to understand their cultural significance in today’s world, so that the designer can utilise the textile without offending or mischaracterizing cultural history. 

Technical Drawing and CAD

Gaining an academic perspective on technical drawing and CAD will prepare students for providing proper and accurate design documentation for a design specification and digital production workflow.

Production Management and Merchandising

The understanding of the management of textile production, costs, distribution, merchandising, marketing, and business aspects will prepare designers for work in the realities of the industry.