Bachelors in Textile Engineering in USA

The BFA program in art with a concentration in textiles is committed to the exploration and advancement of innovative textile practices. Working from fundamental techniques such as weaving, dyeing, textile printing and fiber sculpture, students gain mastery of skill along with an immersion in related critical theory.

An emphasis is placed on how investigations into the material and the political and social histories of textiles can inform contemporary art practice. The professional activity of the faculty provides students with a network of outside opportunities such as assistantships, internships, scholarships, residencies and exhibitions.

Students declare their Bachelor of Fine Arts concentration at the time of their ASU admission. Following admission, if students wish to change their concentration, they may meet with their School of Art academic advisor.

The Fashion and Textile Technology department at Buffalo State is the only baccalaureate department in Western New York that offers a variety of career preparation options for the multifaceted, global fashion industry. Faculty expertise, continuous updating of technology-based curriculum, and industry partnerships contribute to the strength of the program. Class sizes are small, allowing individual attention. Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular programmatic activities and regional and national competitions. Students have achieved top honors in national apparel and textile design competitions. Internships are available in the Buffalo area as well as nationally and internationally. Affiliations with industry and professional organizations include the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA); the Costume Society of America (CSA); American Collegiate Retailing Association (ACRA); the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC); the National Retail Federation (NRF), and the Textile and Apparel Program Accreditation Commission (TAPAC); and the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA).

The Fashion and Textile Technology department is to prepare students for employment in the apparel, textile, and fashion industries. Employment opportunities exist in textiles, fashion merchandising/buying, retail management, digital textile design, apparel design,3D design for textiles and apparel, apparel production, apparel product development, textile testing/quality control, home furnishings, and government agencies. Examples of available positions include technicians in testing labs to set safety and performance standards, CAD (print, weave, knit, technical, or fashion graphic) textile and apparel designers, technical designers, trend and design specialists, private label costing and sourcing, buyers, merchandisers, planners, stylists, colorists, fashion entrepreneurs, fashion/visual merchandisers, merchandiser representatives, fashion journalists, logistics specialists, U.S. customs agents, and theater costuming, market researcher, social media planners, brand strategists, and trend forecasters.

Graduates have been employed by most major apparel and textile companies, including, but not limited to: Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Macy’s, Fisher-Price, New Era, Eastman Machine Co., AccuMED Technologies Inc., GAP and GAP Kids, Lord & Taylor, Bureau Veritas testing labs, Limited, Oxford Industries, Swavelle/Mill Creek, Tony Walker & Co., Tobin Home Fashions, Tommy Hilfiger, Graco Home Fashions International, Park B. Smith, Appollo Patio Furniture Design, Target, Dillards, and Victoria’s Secret.

Basic principles and elements of design, including color theory, are introduced, reviewed, and applied throughout the four-year program. Two- and three-dimensional work, as well as color principles and their application, are studied and used in freshman studio projects. By the completion of the sophomore year, students have developed the ability to render garments and fabrics on croquis. Students refine and individualize their abilities for visual organization, color utilization, sketching/drawing, and design process in the upper-level design studio courses. Progressing from the modification of commercial patterns to development of unique patterns through the flat pattern and draping methods, students take projects from original concepts to finished products.