A free conference for final-year textile design students entitled Making it in Textiles will take place from 20-21 October at the Midland Hotel, Bradford, supported by The Campaign for Wool, The Clothworkers' Company, The Drapers' Company and The Weavers' Company.

A two-day event aims to forge stronger links between those studying textile design and the UK textile manufacturing industry, to give final year degree students greater insight into the industry and its requirements for employment.

Industry talks

On the first day of the event students and tutors from 21 courses will take part in a conference chaired by Cheryl Kindness, design and development director, Camira, with talks by industry experts on setting up in business, colour, yarn, jacquard weaving, modern weaving technology and cloth finishing.

Speakers include:

• Kirsty McDougall, co-founder, Dashing Tweeds
• Beryl Gibson, textile consultant
• Richard Humphries, director, Humphries Weaving
• Gary Eastwood, managing director, Pennine Weavers
• Paul Johnson, managing director, WT Johnson & Sons

Stephen Sheard, former MD and founder of Rowan Yarns, will share his experience of running a business, which focused on hand-knitting designs and yarn collections and grew through partnerships with leading designers like Kaffe Fassett and department stores Harrods, Liberty's, John Lewis Partnership and House of Fraser.

Plus, the evening will feature a keynote address by Patrick Grant, creative director, Norton & Sons and judge of The Great British Sewing Bee.

Discussions

The second day will see 129 students and tutors, who will tour local textile mills, including AW Hainsworth, Abraham Moon, Camira, Pennine Weavers and Stanley Mills.

The tour will be followed by a discussion session featuring interviews with recent graduates now working in the textile industry, chaired by textile design consultant and lecturer Sheila-Mary Carruthers. The programme will also feature interactive discussions, where delegates will have a chance to address their questions to the speakers joining the event.

Further details