The department maintains a close connection to the field through alumni, professional internships, guest speakers and critics, and field trips. In the past several years, students at the junior and senior levels have worked on collaborative projects with companies including DesignTex, BedBath & Beyond, Hanna Andersson, dkny, and Merida Meridian. Additionally, teams of Textiles and Apparel Design students have collaborated on projects, including a project with the Italian Trade Commission. The experience of developing design collections with professional partners and according to industry parameters has proven invaluable for many graduates of the department.

The textile field is broad and diverse. Popular professional opportunities include design of interior and apparel fabrics for design studios or manufacturers; some individuals also pursue this path as freelancers or design consultants. Many risd alumni have started their own businesses producing textiles and textile-related products, either in their own studios or in partnership with manufacturers. Some of our graduates work as artists or assist artists in their studios, and others have
worked as textile and color specialists for magazines and architectural/industrial design firms.

While RISD’s Textiles Department has a reputation for preparing our students to become highly-skilled designers in the field, we give equal attention to those who want to become practicing artists. Projects in the sophomore year and classes in the junior and senior years focus on issues specific to fine arts work. As students develop artistically and strengthen their design process, they can apply their technical skills and advanced techniques to making two- and three-dimensional work.