Fabric and Garment Technology

What is it?

Picky about the materials you like to wear and the cut of your clothes? Maybe a career in fabric and garment technology is for you. These roles are concerned with the materials used to make our clothing and the way they are produced. A fabric technologist will ensure that they best materials are sourced for each garment, that they’re dyed, embroidered, and printed correctly, and that the material quality is up to scratch.

A garment technologist’s role is to oversee the production of clothing, liaising between the brand and the manufacturer to ensure the final product reflects the original design and is completed to a high standard. Working between the design and production teams, these roles are very important for fashion brands.

What should you study? What skill do you need?

To start a career as a fabric or garment technologist, you might study fashion or textiles design, as both of these courses will give you a solid foundational understanding of how to create clothing and work with different fabrics. You could study a diploma in garment or fabric technology, or you could do an apprenticeship as a tailor or pattern cutter, working directly with the technical production of clothing.

The skills you need to work in these fields include an eye for detail, problem-solving skills, a strong knowledge of clothing manufacturing and fashion design, great organisational and communication skills, as well as the ability to work on multiple garments at one time.

SKILLS NEEDED

This role involves using software such as Adobe Creative Cloud and other industry platforms too, so a certain degree of tech-savvyness is needed.