Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to research and evaluate textiles for fashion, furnishings, accessories and exhibition, and make recommendations to guide the commercial development of textile products.
The unit of competency applies to activities associated with researching and evaluating quality, processing, finish, use, properties and performance of materials, partially finished and finished textile products. Findings should be used to make recommendations to guide commercial development of materials and products.
Work is performed in line with a broad plan or strategy. Work may be conducted in small to large scale enterprises and may involve individual and team activities.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Determine job requirements | 1.1 | Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) |
1.2 | Comply with work health and safety (WHS) requirements at all times | ||
1.3 | Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with SOPs | ||
1.4 | Identify job requirements from specifications, drawings, job sheets or work instructions | ||
2 | Prepare to research commercial development of textiles | 2.1 | Establish objectives for conducting research in line with business goals |
2.2 | Establish criteria and parameters for research and develop research plan | ||
2.3 | Conduct research into textiles | ||
3 | Research textile products | 3.1 | Analyse products that incorporate textiles and their current uses in the marketplace |
3.2 | Research performance characteristics of textile products and analyse to determine quality | ||
3.3 | Use a range of routine and non-routine tests to gather data on product quality | ||
3.4 | Identify factors influencing quality of textile products | ||
3.5 | Identify and examine product faults and determine causes | ||
3.6 | Research global and domestic implications for use of textile products | ||
4 | Evaluate findings and make recommendations | 4.1 | Analyse research findings and prioritise according to their significance to research objectives and criteria |
4.2 | Review methodology to identify any potential influences on findings | ||
4.3 | Analyse findings to identify products with most potential for commercial development and further review | ||
4.4 | Analyse features and benefits, and disadvantages or risks, of selected findings | ||
4.5 | Prepare a report, including visual and graphical illustration to summarise aspects of research | ||
4.6 | Make recommendations and document how findings apply to commercial gain |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include:
reading and following work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safe work practices
planning and conducting research into textiles and textile products in line with business goals
establishing criteria and parameters for research and developing research plan
conducting research into textiles, analysing products that incorporate textiles, and researching performance characteristics of at least one (1) sample range of textile products to determine quality
investigating global and domestic implications for use of textile products
using a range of routine and non-routine tests to gather data on product quality to identify factors influencing quality of textile products
analysing findings to identify products with most potential for commercial development and analysing features, benefits and disadvantages or risks, of selected findings
preparing a 2000-3000 word report in appropriate format, including visual and graphical illustrations and recommendations indicating how findings apply to commercial opportunities and gain.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
safe work practices and procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
sources of information
qualities and properties of textiles:
firmness
softness
hand
weight
grain or gauge
drape
porosity
covering power
count
light penetration
commercial relevance or objectives for research
research methodology
research criteria:
scope of research
required documentation
required research verification
research methodologies
timing
commercial constraints or requirements
relevant legislation, codes of practice, copyright obligations, policies and procedures
textile and product testing procedures
performance characteristics:
stretch
abrasion
wearability
absorbency
durability
elasticity
heat sensitivity
shrink resistance
ease of care
drape quality
colour fastness
strength
report writing
report structure:
title page
table of contents
summary
introduction
theories and hypotheses
body (findings and conclusions)
methodology
test results
recommendations
references
appendixes
glossary
report content:
text
graphs
charts
tables
diagrams
quality practices
workplace procedures
recording and reporting practices.
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment, as set by the VET regulator
have vocational competency in researching commercial development of textiles, at least to the level being assessed, with relevant industry knowledge and experience.
Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible, or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
Workplace procedures include one or more of the following: | requirements prescribed by legislation, awards, agreements and conditions of employment SOPs work instructions PPE oral, written and visual communication quality practices, including responsibility for maintenance of own work quality and contribution to quality improvement of team or section output housekeeping tasks related to environmental protection, waste disposal, pollution control and recycling WHS practices |
Research includes one or more of the following: | textile properties, qualities, aesthetic and performance characteristics primary uses of textiles new and emerging textiles and textile processing techniques global and domestic trends in using textiles routine and non-routine tests to gather data on textiles |
Textiles include one or more of the following: | natural fibres, such as cotton, wool, silk and linen synthetic fibres, such as: polyamide and polyester acrylic lycra rayon acetate natural and synthetic single-yarn fabrics and blends, including: knitted fabrics, such as weft knits and warp knits woven fabrics, such as plain, twill, satin, dobby, jacquard and pile non-woven fabrics, such as felts, nets, braids, bonded and composite emerging smart fabrics raw materials new and emerging textiles yarn |
Routine tests include one or more of the following: | visual checking colour matching weighing and height weight and thickness measuring moisture measuring measuring rubbing fastness stretch wear cracking colour gloss softness handle texture light and colour fastness heat fastness tensile characteristics flexibility |
Non-routine tests include the following: | tests performed in a laboratory environment to laboratory level standards |
Sectors
Not applicable
Competency Field
Textile design and development