Textile Designer – Woven, Print & Surface Development
Company: Oshadi Collective (OPC) Private Limited
Location: Erode, Tamil Nadu
Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Experience: 3 years and above preferred
Industry: Textiles / Apparel / Fabric Development / Fashion
Work Location: On-site
About Oshadi Collective
Oshadi Collective is a regenerative textile and apparel company based in Erode, Tamil Nadu.
We work across the textile value chain, from cotton and yarn through weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing and garment production. Our work combines textile craft, material research, responsible production and contemporary design.
We are looking for a Textile Designer who is curious about materials and capable of translating creative ideas into technically achievable fabrics and textile developments.
About the Role
The Textile Designer will work on the creative and technical development of woven fabrics, yarn-dyed designs, prints, colours, textures and surface developments for our collections, customer developments and textile programmes.
We are looking for someone who enjoys working directly with yarn, fabric, colour, weave and process, rather than someone whose experience is limited to graphic or print design.
The role requires a combination of creative ability, textile knowledge, CAD/design skills and hands-on development.
The designer will work closely with our Design, Fabric Merchandising, Production and textile-processing teams, as well as weaving mills, printers, dyers, artisans and other development partners.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
Textile & Fabric Development
- Develop original woven, printed, yarn-dyed and surface textile concepts.
- Develop fabrics from initial concept and reference through sampling and final approved textile.
- Work with cotton and other natural-fibre yarns and fabrics.
- Develop woven constructions, textures, stripes, checks, dobby ideas and other woven effects.
- Develop yarn-dyed colour combinations and layouts.
- Explore fabric weight, texture, handle, transparency, density and surface character.
- Understand how yarn count, construction, EPI/PPI, GSM, width and finishing influence the final fabric.
- Work with weaving mills and development teams to translate design concepts into practical fabric samples.
- Review samples and recommend design modifications where necessary.
Print & Surface Development
- Create original print concepts, artworks and repeats.
- Develop placement and all-over prints where required.
- Prepare production-ready artwork and colour separations.
- Develop surface ideas using techniques such as printing, embroidery, handwork, texture and other textile processes where relevant.
- Work with printers and artisans during sampling to achieve the intended design.
- Review strike-offs and development samples and provide clear comments for correction.
- Understand how different fabrics, printing methods and finishing processes affect colour and artwork.
Colour Development
- Develop seasonal and project-specific textile colour palettes.
- Create colour combinations for woven, yarn-dyed and printed fabrics.
- Work with Pantone and other colour-reference systems.
- Review lab dips, yarn dips, strike-offs and development samples from a design perspective.
- Evaluate colour relationships, shade, contrast and overall visual balance.
- Maintain approved colour and development references.
Research & Creative Development
- Research textiles, weaving, craft, colour, material, art and design relevant to ongoing projects.
- Translate research into original textile concepts rather than directly reproducing references.
- Develop mood boards, textile stories and material directions.
- Explore new yarns, constructions, processes and surface techniques.
- Work with traditional and contemporary textile processes.
- Participate in seasonal and customer-specific textile-development projects.
Swatch & Textile Library
- Maintain an organised physical and digital textile-development library.
- Maintain records of yarns, fabric swatches, weave developments, print developments, colour references and approved samples.
- Ensure each development can be identified and reproduced through proper documentation.
- Maintain development codes and relevant technical information.
- Archive successful and unsuccessful developments for future reference.
Technical Documentation
- Prepare clear development sheets for weaving mills, printers, dyers and other suppliers.
- Record relevant specifications including composition, yarn count, construction, EPI/PPI, GSM, width, colour references and finishing requirements where applicable.
- Prepare CAD files, repeats, colourways and artwork specifications.
- Maintain accurate records of sample versions and design corrections.
- Ensure final approved design information is clearly handed over to the relevant merchandising/production team.
Sampling & Development Follow-up
- Follow textile developments through sampling until the intended creative result is achieved.
- Review weaving trials, strike-offs, lab dips, yarn dips and other development samples.
- Communicate clear design comments to suppliers and internal teams.
- Identify whether a development problem is related to design, material, colour, construction or process.
- Work with Fabric Merchandising and Operations teams to resolve development issues.
The Textile Designer will participate in development follow-up but will not be responsible for routine bulk-production chasing, stock control or inventory reconciliation.
Required Textile Knowledge
Candidates should have practical understanding of several of the following:
- Woven fabric construction.
- Yarn counts and compositions.
- EPI and PPI.
- Dobby and basic weave structures.
- Yarn-dyed fabrics.
- Stripes and checks.
- Greige versus finished fabric.
- Fabric GSM and width.
- Printing techniques.
- Repeat development and colour separation.
- Dyeing and colour development.
- Fabric finishing.
- Shrinkage and dimensional changes.
- Natural fibres, particularly cotton.
- Basic knitted-fabric knowledge will be an advantage.
Experience with handloom, natural dyes, block printing, embroidery or other craft-based textile processes will be an advantage but is not mandatory.
Design & Software Skills
Candidates should be proficient in relevant design software such as:
- Adobe Illustrator.
- Adobe Photoshop.
Experience with textile CAD/weaving software will be an advantage.
Candidates should also be comfortable preparing:
- Textile CADs.
- Print repeats.
- Colourways.
- Technical development sheets.
- Mood boards.
- Presentations.
- Digital textile-development records.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for someone who:
- Has a strong eye for colour, texture, proportion and material.
- Is genuinely interested in textiles rather than only fashion graphics.
- Understands how textile designs are physically manufactured.
- Enjoys experimenting with yarn, weave, print and surface.
- Can move between creative thinking and technical execution.
- Is comfortable working directly with mills, printers, dyers and artisans during development.
- Can analyse a failed sample and suggest improvements.
- Is organised and capable of maintaining development records.
- Can work independently while collaborating closely with the wider design and production teams.
- Is curious and willing to learn new textile processes.
- Has strong attention to detail.
- Can communicate design instructions clearly.
- Is interested in responsible and regenerative textile systems.
Preferred Experience
3 years and above of relevant experience in one or more of the following:
- Textile design.
- Woven textile design.
- Fabric development.
- Print and surface design.
- Weaving or yarn-dyed fabric development.
- Textile export house.
- Fabric mill or weaving unit.
- Fashion/apparel textile development.
- Home-textile design.
- Textile design studio.
Candidates with less experience but an exceptional textile portfolio and strong technical understanding may also be considered.
Education
Preferred qualifications include:
- Bachelor's / Master's in Textile Design.
- Textile Technology.
- Fashion Design with strong textile specialisation.
- NIFT / NID or equivalent textile/design programme.
- Diploma in Textile Design or related discipline.
Portfolio quality, textile understanding and practical development ability will be given greater importance than institution or qualification alone.
Portfolio Requirement
A portfolio is mandatory for this position.
The portfolio should preferably demonstrate:
- Woven textile development.
- Yarn-dyed stripes/checks or constructions.
- Print development.
- Colour development.
- Textile/surface experimentation.
- Fabric samples or executed developments.
- Development process from concept to final textile.
We are particularly interested in seeing how you think and develop textiles, not only finished mood boards or fashion illustrations.
Pay: ₹30,000.00 - ₹45,000.00 per month
Benefits:
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Food provided
- Paid sick time
- Provident Fund
Work Location: In person
