Job Description

About us

AW Hainsworth is a historic and prestigious textile manufacturer, weaving iconic fabrics for the Royal Household, top designers such as Balenciaga, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Christian Dior, as well as stage and screen productions including Harry Potter and Thor's Cape. Since 1783, we have created textiles that celebrate Great Britain, from the scarlet of the Royal Guards to ceremonial uniforms of the Royal Family.

We produce a wide range of woollen textile products, including blankets, uniforms, and specialty fabrics, for a global clientele. We pride ourselves on a supportive, team-focused working environment with excellent transport links and on-site facilities.

Our focus is on creating bespoke and technically advanced woven textiles, and our brand is known for its excellent design service and high-quality products.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Woven Textile Designer to join our design team at AW Hainsworth. The role involves creating premium, bespoke products for the transportation, contract, and residential interiors markets that are technically compliant, commercially viable, and aligned with the design brief.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work closely with key clients and leading international design houses, fulfilling their requirements while demonstrating a creative, commercial and proactive approach. The role will involve occasional domestic and international travel, including customer visits and attendance at trade shows.

The designer will collaborate closely with technical, quality, sales, marketing and production teams. They must be able to follow established operating procedures, which will be regularly audited, and work effectively under challenging deadlines.

Working hours are Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week. Salary and bonus are competitive and dependent on experience.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

We are looking for someone who is passionate about technical textile design, comfortable working on multiple projects simultaneously, and enjoys contributing as part of a dynamic team. Essential requirements include:

A degree in Woven Textile Design Practical experience of woven textile design, particularly designing for jacquard looms Demonstrable creative skills and commercial awareness Experience using computer-aided design software Excellent general textile knowledge (e.g., fabric constructions, fibres and yarns) A thorough understanding of how yarn properties and fabric construction influence the performance of woven fabrics Practical experience of textile manufacturing in an industrial context Awareness of general textile characterisation methods (e.g., abrasion, strength, colour measurement, light fastness) Excellent communication and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Desirable:

Familiarity with software packages used in textile manufacture, such as ERP and CRM systems Knowledge of technical standards relating to transportation and interiors markets Awareness of test methods specific to those industries Understanding of chemical treatments used for functional textile performance (e.g. fire retardant, antimicrobial, stain-resistant finishes) Experience working to auditable processes and supporting audits Awareness of sustainability and its challenges and opportunities within our markets

Benefits of Working at AW Hainsworth

Competitive holiday allowance Performance-related bonus Simply Health cash plan (includes dental, optical, physiotherapy etc.) Life assurance Employee Assistance Programme Salary sacrifice benefits (e.g. Metro Cards) Matched pension scheme Internal Discounted Blanket sales Commitment to training, development and investing in people

Health and Wellbeing Benefits

Onsite mental health counselling and wellbeing support Free fruit delivered weekly Employee engagement calendar Employee Forum Annual flu jabs
Send your CV and cover letter detailing why you are interested in this role. AW Hainsworth is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 40,000.00-45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Company events Cycle to work scheme Discounted or free food Employee discount Flexitime Free flu jabs Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking Private medical insurance Referral programme Sick pay Transport links
Work Location: In person