This course introduces contemporary textile practice in art and design applications for students involved in creative work for the first time. It introduces the context for designing and making; the narrative role textiles play in reflecting and documenting contemporary society; and the social, sustainable, re-use and environmental issues associated with this industry.

The course introduces textile techniques and processes; material properties and characteristics of fibres, fabrics and associated materials; current textile design issues and new technologies; the technical aspect of designing for a 2D surface and a 3D constructed textile; and the application of textiles across the design spectrum. It covers a number of techniques for surface design, printing, colouring and constructing cloth, giving students the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake contemporary textile design projects for various applications.

This is a studio-based course, where practical projects are informed by integrating research, concepts and experimentation, and designs are realised in different studio based, hand and digital technologies and processes.