Freelance Textile Designing: Pros and Cons in 2025

Published by Shikha Kumari on May 23, 2025

As different tools are emerging in the design sector, many are opting for a hybrid work culture. While some are working part-time with agencies or even teaching as part of their freelancing, others are diving in full-time, managing a roster of clients and building a brand through Instagram and Behance. So, is freelancing a good career for textile designers in India? In this blog, we are going to find out the actual work, the perks, the pain points, and whether Freelance Textile Designing is truly worth it.

What is freelancing?

 Freelancing, in simple terms, is the ability to work by yourself without any regulations of any company. You don’t have to be tied to any one company, and you can pick projects, set your rates, and work with multiple clients instead of one boss. For textile designers, this can be a game-changer.

In 2025, freelance textile print designer jobs in India are booming. Why? E-commerce brands need custom prints. Indie labels want unique aesthetics. Sustainable fashion is pushing for limited-edition patterns. 

Textile Freelance Jobs

At its core, a textile designer creates patterns and prints for anything from clothes to cushions. As a freelancer, you’re not stuck with one brand or style. You might design ethnic motifs for a home décor company one week, then shift to sleek, abstract patterns for a sportswear label the next. Most textile freelance jobs involve developing custom fabric prints, seamless patterns, surface textures, and repeat motifs for fashion houses, decor brands, export firms, or even digital products like mockups.

Common tools include Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, hand-drawn sketches, and specialised repeat design software like NedGraphics.

Textile Designer Job Description

As a general rule, the following table can be taken as a Textile Designer’s job description. Textile Designer is responsible for researching trends, digital design platforms. As a candidate, one must have creativity, digital design, attention to detail, and  time management

Textile Designer Salary

India is a very large country. Here, the salary of a textile designer can range from Rs 14,000 to Rs 25,000. However, one noticeable trend is that metropolitan cities tend to offer lower salaries compared to other cities, such as Hyderabad.

Advantages of Freelancing

Freelance textile print Designer jobs work from Home

• Freedom & Flexibility: If you want to design all night and sleep in, you can go for it. You can control your hours, clients, and workspace.
• Creative Control: The tiredness of being told what to design can be relieved through freelancing. As a freelancer, you can choose projects that align with your artistic voice.
• Better Income Potential (Long-Term): Entry-level freelancers may start small, but experienced ones can even charge premium rates, especially if they’ve built a niche (like organic block prints or digital-only patterns).

Disadvantages of Freelancing

• Unpredictable Income: There is no fixed income. While some months will be stacked with projects, on the other hand, many months will be unproductive. Hence, due to no fixed salary, you will have to budget smart.
• Client Chasing: There are very high chances of late payments, ghosting clients, or sudden cancellations. You will be your own HR, customer service department. 
• Isolation: No team lunches and no office banter can create isolation for energetic people. Working solo can feel lonely, especially for new grads who miss the studio environment and love extroversion.
• No Benefits: Unlike full-time jobs, freelancing doesn’t come with perks like PF, insurance, or paid leave. You’re fully responsible for your financial security.
• Self-Marketing Required: To get work, you’ll need a killer portfolio, active social media, and maybe your website. It’s like being your PR team. Manage everything on your own without anyone supporting you.