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What is Textile Management?

Rachel Burkot
Rachel Burkot

Textile management is a professional industry concerned with the make and management of clothing and apparel. The textile industry is often combined with fashion merchandising and design, and universities that prepare students to enter a career in textile management usually have one department for textile, fashion and design. The goal of these programs is to create professionals who will enter the field able and willing to create and interpret knowledge of clothing materials to better serve the industry.

A degree in textile management may be granted as a business administration degree, as many textile students hope to become textile manufacturers or other business owners who specialize in textile production. For these careers, some knowledge of business is required, so students studying textile management will usually take at least a few business courses. Textile marketing is another popular field in the textile industry, and requirements include studying the clothing market, participating in hands-on research projects, developing products and coordinating sales efforts with clothing stores. Students interested in this aspect of the textile industry will focus heavily on marketing courses, and they will learn quickly how to apply principles of public relations and sales to the clothing industry.

A finished textile.
A finished textile.

Another area of textile management is the production of textile fabric. Students interested in this field should be hands-on learners interested in creating tangible products. Textile technology is constantly changing, so students interested in this area should be willing to be on the lookout for new trends in the clothing industry. The creation of textile fabric includes producing yarn and any of several kinds of fibers. People who are drawn to knitting and crocheting might find an interest and talent in this aspect of textile management.

A closeup of satin cloth.
A closeup of satin cloth.

Other areas of the textile industry where professionals who receive education and training in this discipline may work include merchandising, inventory control, sales promotion, public relations and human resources. Many career opportunities are present for students interested in working with textiles, and because of the broad nature of the field, there is opportunity for movement within the industry during a lifelong career. It is a fast-paced, diverse and exciting career field, although it can also be competitive, depending on which side of the industry you are interested in. Opportunities for employment in textile management can be pursued with retailers, manufacturers, market research firms and product information venues. Typical tasks of a textile professional may include studying fashion changes and the corresponding impact on the market, developing new apparel lines, studying customer behavior and purchase cycles, analyzing statistics, and operating and organizing retail stores.

Discussion Comments

sunnySkys

I'm pretty sure my college didn't offer any classes in textile sourcing, fashion, or design. However, I actually have a friend that has an associate's degree in this field from another school.

She wants to eventually be a fashion designer, so she took the design class. However, she also took classes in marketing and business too, which I think makes sense. She's currently trying to create her own line of jeans, and I know a lot of the classes she took in marketing and business were really helpful.

betterment

@Ted41 - I know you said you've done a lot of research, but I wanted to make one suggestion: don't narrow your search to schools that offer a textile degree in the business department. Some schools offer a textiles program in their art department, which would probably be good if you want to design fabric or something like that.

The reason I say this is I have a degree in art, and my college had a textiles track in the art department. So other schools might too! That being said, I've actually never given too much thought to all the other things that go on in the textile industry, like apparel and textile marketing management. It seems like there are a lot of different jobs available!

Ted41

Textile manufacturing sounds like a really interesting field to get into. I've been a knitter for years, and I've been looking into making a career change. Someone suggested textiles to me, so I've been doing a lot of research to try and figure out if that might be a good fit for me.

I'm pretty interested, but unfortunately there aren't any schools near me that offer any textile related degrees. So if I do decide to pursue this, I'll probably have to move, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to take that step.

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    • A finished textile.
      By: sootra
      A finished textile.
    • A closeup of satin cloth.
      By: klikk
      A closeup of satin cloth.
    • Polyester fabric.
      By: Silvia Crisman
      Polyester fabric.
    • Sateen fabric.
      By: katiagen
      Sateen fabric.
    • A folded square of linen.
      By: Viktor
      A folded square of linen.