Textile+Chemist

Textile Chemist~Job Description
Textile chemistry is primarily an applied form of chemistry. It is a highly specialized field that applies the principles of the basic fields of chemistry to the understanding of textile materials and to their functional and esthetic modification into useful and desirable items. Textile materials are used in clothing, carpet, tire yarn, sewing thread, upholstery, and air bags, to name a few examples. Some textile chemists are less oriented toward manufacturing processes and more focused toward fiber technologies. The study of textile chemistry begins with the knowledge of fibers themselves-both natural and synthetic. Because synthetic fibers are such an important part of today's textile business, the field includes many who are trained as polymer chemists. The interaction between textile chemistry and materials science is also increasing. Textile chemistry includes the application of the principles of surface chemistry to cleaning processes and modifications such as dyeing and finishing. It encompasses organic chemistry in the synthesis and formulation of the products used in these processes.



Personality Characters
Textile chemists are generally persons interested in the intersection between chemistry and the kind of engineering that goes into textile marketing. They enjoy the modification and improvement of basic polymers and like using their knowledge of materials to solve problems.

Working Conditions
Working conditions are generally good in the textile industry. Newer mills have temperature and humidity controls, while older mills may have inadequate lighting and poor ventilation. Most employees work with machinery, which is often noisy, but the accident rate is fairly low in the textile industry. The work-week is usually forty hours long, although some workers, especially those in the southeastern states, work forty-six to forty-eight hours per week. Most textile mills have around-the-clock operations and run three shifts. The work is generally steady in the textile industry. When production slowdowns occur, most mills shut down for one or two days a week instead of laying off workers. Only about 7 percent of all apparel and textile workers belonged to labor unions in 2004.



Places of Employment
Chemists are employed globally by chemical companies that manufacture the basic polymer from which synthetic fibers are made. They are employed by small dyeing houses that dye yarns, fiber, fabric, and carpets. Chemistry is important in all functions, but the technical content tends to be more challenging in the polymer chemistry side than in the dyeing and finishing end.

Job Outlook
The job outlook is mixed for textile chemists in the United States but is more promising internationally. Some significant positions for bright students still exist today. Materials science is an example of an area offering excellent and challenging new opportunities. Harder to find are jobs at dye companies; there are still a few U.S.-based companies, but many have moved offshore.

Salary Information
Wages for textile production workers depend on the job, the kind of plant, and the location. Some workers are paid according to the number of finished products, but most receive an hourly wage. Benefits often include paid holidays and vacations, health insurance, and retirement plans.

Recommended Education and Training
Many chemists in the field are trained as polymer chemists. Although a number of schools specialize in textile chemistry, a textile degree is not a prerequisite for employment in the field. Important courses of study include organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and colloid chemistry. Understanding the manufacturing process and familiarity with chemical engineering are important prerequisites to employment.

TESTEX� -�Presentation. 07 Apr. 2009 []. "Textile Chemistry." American Chemical Society - The world's largest scientific society. 07 Apr. 2009 []. Home | Quality Digest. 07 Apr. 2009 [].Los Angeles Dye and Wash. 07 Apr. 2009 .
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