The Campaign for Wool, The Clothworkers’ Company, The Drapers’ Company and The Weavers’ Company have collaborated for third year to bring about the ‘Making It in Textiles Careers Conference. This was done to provide a free conference for final-year textile degree students. Bradford hosted the conference. It encouraged the participating 120 design and technology students from 23 universities to consider the wide range of roles open to them in the UK’s diverse, creative and fascinating industry over two days of interactive talks followed by visits to leading textile mills in West Yorkshire. The conference brought together industry professionals, educators and undergraduates for a packed program which included personal and professional journey narratives by both new and experienced members of the industry as well as explanations of the supply chain, textile manufacturing methods in the UK and potential roles open to textile design and technology graduates at every stage of production.

The event also offered the opportunity to most students to tour one of six mills in the West Yorkshire area and see for themselves textile production on an industrial scale. One of the most inspiring stories of the conference was delivered by Richard Humphries, who has a silk mill in Sudbury. The company makes luxurious jacquard silks for interiors and gowns. The mill’s work can be found in stately homes including Chatsworth House and Buckingham Palace.

Humphries said the next generation should not only be inspired and made to know that there is a future in British textiles but also one should also make them aware that one can’t just be a designer but he/she needs to have business skills as well. The Huddersfield-based company is developing finishing methods using plasma and lasers to make fabrics last longer and be more sustainable.