HCA at the ‘Making it in Textiles’ Conference 2015

Published on 02.11.15

HCA Textile Design were invited again this year to attend the ‘Making it in Textiles’ conference which is generously hosted by The Worshipful Company of Weavers, The Drapers Company and The Clothworkers’ Company.  The event is organised to inspire final year woven textiles students to connect with the British woven textiles industry and make them

HCA Textile Design were invited again this year to attend the ‘Making it in Textiles’ conference which is generously hosted by The Worshipful Company of Weavers, The Drapers Company and The Clothworkers’ Company.  The event is organised to inspire final year woven textiles students to connect with the British woven textiles industry and make them consider the myriad of prospects available to them on graduation.  The conference also offers the opportunity for students to network with their peers from other Universities and visit one of a number of mills in the Bradford area.


I took final year weavers Sophie Graney and Laurence Alder with me to the event this year, both of whom are extremely driven students.  After the 1st day of talks from industry professionals, including special guest speaker Patrick Grant of ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ fame, we were up early to visit two of the mills.  Sophie and Laurence went to Camira fabrics, while I went to Stanley Mills Luxury fabrics.  It’s always absolutely fascinating to see fabric production on an industrial scale and after our tours around we had all taken an enormous number of photos (I shall post the extended edit on our Facebook page).  We completed the 2nd day with presentations from some recent graduates and a chance to network.  It was another fantastic and inspiring conference and I am extremely grateful to the organisers for inviting us back.  Here’s what the students thought:

“The trip took you out of your comfort zone in a really beneficial way, it allowed you to mingle with other students, tutors and people working in the industry. Through visiting the mills it gave you an insight into the production side of weaving and all the jobs that you might never have thought about or known about. Overall it was a really motivational and exciting trip that anyone who is slightly interested in weaving should go to.” Sophie

“The trip enabled me to think about my own practice, and how I am going to develop my own design identity when I graduate. There was a number of lectures where job prospects were discussed within colour, yarn, weaving, retail and so many more. I never knew there were so many opportunities. It was fabulous to be able to interact with so many different tutors, students and people from the industry like the people at Camira Mills, Drapers, Wallace Sewell and more. It’s motivated me for level 6 and I really can’t wait to get designing and get out and put my own stamp on the woven textile industry.”  Laurence

Helen Foot
Texiles Lecturer