Textiles at Florida Tech is a Perfect Fit
Florida Institute of Technology’s School of Arts and Communication is offering a new minor in Textiles with fields of focus in business, conservation and textile arts. How does this minor fit into the Florida Tech student’s portfolio? Students interested in making themselves as diversely marketable as possible can consider careers including business management, research and development, polymer research, nanotechnology, museum studies, conservation, sustainability and more. The world clothing and textile industry – encompassing clothing, textiles, footwear and luxury goods – reached almost $2,560 trillion in 2010, according to MarketLine. The apparel, luxury goods and accessories portion of the market, which accounts for over 55% of the overall market, is expected to generate $3,180 billion in 2015, with a yearly growth rate in excess of 4%. That’s a market share worth a closer look.
Interested in developing textiles of the future? Want to be on the cutting edge of technology that could develop fibers than enable medical breakthroughs? Florida Tech science and technology students will be interested in partnering with the School of Arts and Communication‘s new minor in Textiles to learn about the the synthetic fiber manufacturing industry. This industry, according to Ibisworld, is comprised of companies primarily engaged in manufacturing artificial and synthetic fibers and filaments in the form of mono-filament, filament yarn, staple or tow. Artificial fibers are those manufactured from organic polymers derived from natural raw materials, mainly cellulose. In comparison, synthetic fibers are those generally derived from petrochemicals and include acetate fibers, nylon mono-filaments, polyester fibers and rayon or viscose fibers. Nanotechnology and composite materials also fall under the umbrella of textile research. Melbourne’s own Hills Inc is on the cutting edge of researching this technology.
FIT’s School of Arts and Communication‘s new minor in Textiles with fields of focus in business, conservation and textile arts is a valuable asset to a student’s academic portfolio. Learn about the origins and science of fibers and dye technologies this fall in TEX1001 Introduction to Textiles and see the fascinating aspects of the textile industry for yourself. Diversify your collegiate portfolio with a minor marketable in one of the world’s largest industries.
