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Science & ResearchISCO 2141

Textile technologist

A textile technologist is a person who runs and improves the processes by which fabric is made, from the yarn going in to the finished, dyed and printed cloth coming out.

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Check yourself in a minute: textile technologist

Rate 5 of the 28 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

distinguish accessories

use textile technique for hand-made products

develop specifications of technical textiles

control textile process

conduct quality control analysis

About textile technologist

The work covers the whole production chain. The technologist develops and oversees spinning, weaving, knitting and finishing — dyeing, printing and the treatments that give a fabric its handle — and sets the methods by which each stage is organised, managed and checked. Fibre is processed into yarn sliver and the yarn's properties are tested. Quality control analysis runs across all of it, against the quality system the mill works to.

A fabric technologist also looks for improvement in what already runs, whether that means a faster changeover, less waste, or a new textile technology that does the job better. Sustainable materials and components are specified where a product or a customer calls for them.

The role rests on knowing the properties of textile materials and what each process does to them, on textile technologies new and traditional, and on health and safety in an industry working with fast machinery, dust and chemicals. Formal requirements are set by the employer.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (28)

knitting machine technologyknitting machine technologyManufacturing technologies which use loop forming techniques to convert yarns into fabrics in order to form knitted fabrics.health and safety in the textile industryhealth and safety in the textile industryThe requirements, rules and applications of health and safety measures in the textile industry.properties of textile materialsproperties of textile materialsThe characteristics and properties of different textile and fabric materials. These include strength, flexibility, elasticity, softness, durability, heat insulation, low weight, water absorbency/repel...control systemscontrol systemsDevices or a set of devices that command and manage the performance and behaviour of other equipment and systems. This includes Industrial control systems (ICS) which are used for industrial productio...research and development in textilesresearch and development in textilesDevelopment of new concepts through the use of scientific and other methods of applied research.fabric typesfabric typesWoven, non-woven, knitted fabrics and netting fabrics, technical fabrics such as Gore-Tex and Gannex.textile technologiestextile technologiesTextile technologies to design, manufacture and evaluate the properties of textiles.types of textile fibrestypes of textile fibresThe variety of textile fibres both natural such as wool and hemp and man-made or synthetic fibers.quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.metrologymetrologyThe methods and theory of measurement in a scientific context, including internationally accepted units of measurement, practical realisation of these units, and interpretation of measurements.tufting technologytufting technologyThe application of tufting technology to the production of pile fabrics such as carpets.braiding technologybraiding technologyDevelopment, manufacturing requirements, properties and evaluation of braided fabrics.staple spinning machine technologystaple spinning machine technologyTechnologies, operations, monitoring and maintenance of machines during the yarn spinning process.textile printing technologytextile printing technologyAddition of colour partially, according to the designed pattern, onto textile based materials. Processes for adding coloured patterns onto textile materials using printing machines and techniques (rot...distinguish accessoriesdistinguish accessoriesDistinguish accessories in order to determine differences among them. Evaluate accessories based on their characteristics and their application in wearing apparel manufacturing.use textile technique for hand-made productsuse textile technique for hand-made productsUsing textile technique to produce hand-made products, such as carpets, tapestry, embroidery, lace, silk screen printing, wearing apparel, etc.develop specifications of technical textilesdevelop specifications of technical textilesDeveloping specifications for fibre based technical products with functional performances.control textile processcontrol textile processPlanning and monitoring textile production to achieve control on behalf of quality, productivity and delivery time.conduct quality control analysisconduct quality control analysisConduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.convert textile fibres into sliverconvert textile fibres into sliverConvert textile fibres into drafting sliver by working in the fibre opening, carding and drafting process.oversee yarn characterisationoversee yarn characterisationMonitor and assure the quality of the provided yarns by overseeing their characterisation and testing.use sustainable materials and componentsuse sustainable materials and componentsIdentify, select environmentally friendly materials and components. Decide on the substitution of certain materials by the one that are environmentally friendly, maintaining the same level of function...set-up weft knitting machinesset-up weft knitting machinesPrepare weft knitting machines. Activities related to preparing for weft knitting process, knitting to specification and keeping the work area clean and safe.use weaving machine technologiesuse weaving machine technologiesOperate machines that enable weaving processes turning threads into fabrics. Setup weaving machine programmes for the machine to produce fabrics with the adequate pattern, colour and fabric density.manufacture braided productsmanufacture braided productsPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture braided products while keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.conduct textile testing operationsconduct textile testing operationsPrepare for textile testing and evaluation, gathering the test samples, conducting and recording tests, validating data and presenting results.seek innovation in current practicesseek innovation in current practicesSearch for improvements and present innovative solutions, creativity and alternative thinking to develop new technologies, methods or ideas for and answers to work-related problems.check quality of products in textile production linecheck quality of products in textile production lineCheck characteristics of textile products like yarns, woven, knitted, braided, tufted or nonwoven textiles, finished cloths, ready-make-garments and determine the product quality along different stage...
Optional (18) — show
design weft knitted fabricsdesign weft knitted fabricsDeveloping structural and colour effects in weft knitted fabrics by using the weft knitting technique.manufacture nonwoven staple productsmanufacture nonwoven staple productsPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture nonwoven staple products, keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.perform data analysisperform data analysisCollect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.manufacture man-made fibresmanufacture man-made fibresPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture man-made fibers, ensuring that the product meets the required specifications, keeping efficiency and producti...finish processing of man-made fibresfinish processing of man-made fibresCompleting the processing operation of man-made fibres and ensuring that the product is made according to customer specification.manufacture knitted textilesmanufacture knitted textilesPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture knitted products keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.manufacture woven fabricsmanufacture woven fabricsPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture woven fabrics.manufacture staple yarnsmanufacture staple yarnsPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture staple fiber yarns.use textile finishing machine technologiesuse textile finishing machine technologiesUse textile finishing machine technologies that enable the coating or laminating of fabrics.test physical properties of textilestest physical properties of textilesEvaluate the physical properties of textiles by using testing methods, normally in accordance with a standard. It includes fibre identification and trouble shooting.draw sketches to develop textile articlesdraw sketches to develop textile articlesDraw sketches to develop textiles or wearing apparel by hand. They create visualisations of the motives, patterns or products in order to be manufactured.manufacture non-woven filament productsmanufacture non-woven filament productsPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture nonwoven filament products, keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.covert slivers into threadcovert slivers into threadConvert slivers into yarns or threads by combing processes converting drafting card sliver to combed sliver. Form short fibre to yarn using yarn and thread processing technologies, mostly ring spinnin...plan the web forming techniques for non-wovenplan the web forming techniques for non-wovenPlan, conduct, coordinate and monitor the non-woven web forming process and assure that is carried out in a consistent manner and in accordance with specifications.use warp preparation technologiesuse warp preparation technologiesUse warping, sizing, drawing-in and knotting technologies that enable the formation of warps.tend textile dyeing machinestend textile dyeing machinesOperate textile dyeing machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.manufacture texturised filament yarnsmanufacture texturised filament yarnsPerform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture texturised filament yarns.tend textile printing machinestend textile printing machinesOperate textile printing machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

textile product developer10 shared essential skillstextile chemist8 shared essential skillstextile process controller8 shared essential skillstextile quality technician8 shared essential skillsknitting machine operator7 shared essential skillstextile chemical quality technician7 shared essential skillstextile quality inspector6 shared essential skillsbraiding textile technician5 shared essential skills

Frequently asked questions

What does a textile technologist do?

Textile technologists are in charge of the optimisation of the textile manufacturing system management, both traditional and innovative. They develop and supervise the textile production system according to the quality system: processes of spinning, weaving, knitting, finishing namely dyeing, finishes, printing with appropriate methodologies of organisation, management and control and using emerging textile technologies.

What skills does a textile technologist need?

A textile technologist needs 28 essential skills, including knitting machine technology, health and safety in the textile industry, properties of textile materials, control systems, research and development in textiles.

Will AI replace textile technologist jobs?

The AI disruption score for textile technologist is 52/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: types of textile fibres, quality standards, check quality of products in textile production line. Most resilient: covert slivers into thread, use textile technique for hand-made products, control systems.

Quick Facts

SectorScience & Research
ISCO GroupScience and engineering professionals
Essential Skills28

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