Textiles Career Resources
The Career Center has built this page to provide you with valuable advice and resources relevant to your major. Explore and take advantage of what you find here to maximize your career readiness!
Common Career Paths for Textiles Majors
If you are still trying to explore and evaluate your career path, you can check out this selected list of common job titles that alumni often pursue. Please keep in mind, this is not meant to be exhaustive. Rather, you can consider it a starting point to explore options in the field.
Textile Designer - Focus on the creation and development of fabrics and materials, including patterns, textures, and colorways. Designers may work for apparel brands, home décor companies, or freelance for multiple clients.
Textile Artist - Use textiles as a medium for art, including techniques like weaving, dyeing, and embroidery to create decorative or conceptual pieces. Work may be sold independently or via galleries/museums, or perhaps commissioned by organizations.
Costume Designer - Design costumes for theater, film, television, or other live events, often working closely with directors and actors to achieve a particular look. This work is often done on a freelance / contract basis.
Textile Technologist - Work on the technical aspects of textiles, including developing new functionality for fabrics, improving manufacturing processes, and ensuring quality control.
Textile Conservationist - Preserve and restore historic textiles and garments, often working with museums, galleries, and conservation labs. This path would likely involve graduate education in a specialized field.
Textile Researcher - Conduct research on textiles to advance knowledge in areas like material science, sustainability, and innovation. One might work in an academic institution, lab, or research center.
Apparel / Fashion Designer - Create various types of clothing by manipulating textiles, form, and pattern. Designers may work for fashion houses, clothing brands, or launch their own companies.
Material Designer - Ensure that the materials used in apparel products not only meet aesthetic and functional requirements, but also align with the company’s sustainability goals. Often involves in-depth understanding of color, material properties, and textile design principles.
Accessories Designer - Specialize in designing various fashion accessories that complement clothing collections including jewelry, handbags, belts, scarves, and other items. Often involves knowledge of fashion and industrial design principles.
Installation Artist - Create and install large-scale, immersive art pieces that often transform or interact with specific spaces. This work may be commissioned by private or public entities.
Art Educator - Teach and guide students of various ages in developing their artistic skills and knowledge, often through work in educational settings such as schools, colleges, universities, community art centers, and museums.
Places Where Students Have Recently Interned - A Selected List
This is a curated list of places where students have done internships in the last few years.
Internships, Jobs, & Opportunities
Find jobs, internships, and other opportunities related to your major.
American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists
Organizations, Directories, & Communities
This is a curated selection of communities and organizations that are relevant to the field.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA)
Cascale - Sustainable Textiles & Apparel
Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion
International Textile and Apparel Association
Organization of Black Designers
Grants, Fellowships, and Residencies
Explore this selection of internal grant and fellowship opportunities available to RISD students.
RISD Managed Grants and Awards
Student & Alumni Stories
Read these stories of students and alumni expressing their creativity in the professional world.
RISD Makes a Splash at Milan Design Week 2024
SPUR Grants Fuel Cutting-Edge Research by RISD Students, Recent Alum
Record Number of RISD Fulbrights
RISD Students Connect with Industry Professionals
CreativeStudy
This free online video learning platform is presented by creatives who have dedicated their lives to sharing knowledge on financial and business topics. Use your RISD Single Sign On credentials to access it!