Textiles for Buyers and Designers Online Short Course
Course description
Course overview
This online course is an introduction to how designers and buyers manage and work with fabrics and textiles. You’ll gain an understanding of both professions through a range of hands-on industry style assignments. The course aims to help retail professionals and garment designers become more effective by gaining a better understanding of the raw materials they are working with.
The course will cover woven and knitted fabrics, including complex constructions, plus dyeing and finishing. You will learn about the processes involved and the end results that are possible, as well as what makes a fabric more expensive or cheaper, what increases or shortens the lead-time and what to consider when making more environmentally friendly choices for fabric selection.
You will learn through a series of online lectures where students are encouraged to ask questions and share their personal experiences. There is also a wide range of reference materials, and weekly practical projects to allow you to test your knowledge and skills. You will receive personal tutor feedback on your assignment work, and by the end of the course you will be ready to make more informed textile choices in your projects.
Who this course is for
The course is suitable for those that have some knowledge of textiles either through study or through experience e.g. in the textile, garment or retail industries, but who want to know more and update their knowledge.
Key information
Topics covered
- Fibre types available, including new more environmentally friendly fibres
- The construction of woven fabrics including more difficult structures such as corduroy and velvet
- The construction of knitted fabrics including laces, sportswear fabrics etc.
- Dyeing: what determines what dyes are used, how they are used and what different colour results they give
- Finishes of fabrics especially for performance: e.g. easy care, moisture wicking, water repellent
- Printing methods: how they differ and when to use them
- The labdye, CAD and strike off process, when they are used and what is important
- The environmental issues in textiles and how the industry is changing to improve
Learning outcomes
Gain a better understanding of:
- Woven and knitted fabrics and how they are made
- Dyes, prints and finishes on fabrics and their appropriate use
- What makes and fabric more expensive/cheaper
- What increases or shortens the leadtime for a fabric
- What fibres, products and processes are more environmentally friendly
- Receive a digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
- Notepad and pen
Please see our Guide to taking online short courses
Tutor
Paulette Colman
Paulette Colman has had a highly successful career working in textile design, retail and garment manufacturing for over 40 years, the last 20 years as Fabric Director for a major garment maker to major UK and international brands. She has worked in particular in the area of product development - sourcing and developing fabrics worldwide for a variety of customers from high end designer ranges, high quality retailers and major supermarkets.Paulette has wide experience working closely with fabric suppliers especially in the Far East and has led an international team of fabric specialists in the UK, China and India over many years.
Paulette brings to the course extensive insight on the wide scope of fabrics available: how they are made; their properties and potential; and in-depth knowledge of the textile industry.
Paulette has a BA Hons in Textile Design from Leeds University and an MBA from Cape Town University.
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