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By Alan Joch

Jhane Barnes (above) has long been an advocate of digital design.

It’s tempting to think of soft materials like carpets, textiles, and coverings as mere decorations or backdrops for the indoor spaces they occupy. But interior architects choose these materials with great care, knowing they convey as much of a design aesthetic as the layout and lines of the enclosing space itself. As they have done with building construction, innovations in digital design techniques and manufacturing methods have changed the way these products are made. The result is a win-win situation: A wider array of choices and easier ways to explore and create color and pattern combinations.

Designers within mills and independent textile artists alike are using a combination of technologies to make their ideas into reality. The tools they use include design software, scanners, and image editing applications like Photoshop. Better simulation and communications software also mean that clients can initially review designs from afar via digital images or paper printouts, rather than costly swatches. Come production time, new types of machines translate design instructions from computer files directly into fabrics and materials, significantly speeding up turnaround times.

This revolution, which has been building quietly for several years, has come about purely on market forces. The highly competitive carpet and textiles industries pressure mills to develop new designs, colors, and textures for a demanding clientele. For mass-produced products, software companies have sprung up with off-the-shelf tools geared toward textile designers. Booria CAD/CAM, with offices in India and Iran, makes a number of packages specific to the carpet industry. They also supply carpet mills with new automation processes for weaving and dye application that are compatible with the software tools they make. Apso Digital Software Solutions, based in India, makes design tools for textiles and fabrics.

One of her carpet patterns was designed for Collins + Aikman.

Technology also enables individuals working on smaller-scale projects to create and perfect their own design niches. Here, two designers—one well-established, one whose practice is growing quickly—share their experiences with digital tools for their work.

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