Browse Skills research and development in textiles

research and development in textiles

🔻 Declining ESCO reuse: sector-specific

Development of new concepts through the use of scientific and other methods of applied research.

research and development in textiles — development of new concepts through the use of scientific and other methods of applied research. McKinsey's Skill Change Index places it in the declining band (SCI 53.77/100) — a skill likely to fall in demand as AI and automation cover more of its ground by 2030. ESCO classifies it as a sector-specific (rooted in one industry) skill within knowledge. It is currently listed by 4 occupations in our catalogue, including textile chemist, textile technologist, textile, leather and footwear researcher, and textile product developer.

Category: knowledge › textiles (clothes, footwear and leather) SCI: 53.77/100 Also known as: innovation for textile products, scientific and technological innovation for textile products development, research applied to textile products' development, textile production innovation, applied research for textile development

Occupations that require research and development in textiles

Showing top 4 of 4 occupations · ranked by India employment volume, then AI-durability.

textile chemist · 🤖 5.0/10
textile technologist · 🤖 5.0/10
textile, leather and footwear researcher · 🤖 5.0/10
textile product developer · 🤖 5.9/10

Frequently asked questions

What is research and development in textiles?

Development of new concepts through the use of scientific and other methods of applied research.

What category of skill is research and development in textiles?

ESCO classifies research and development in textiles under the knowledge category, specifically in the textiles (clothes, footwear and leather) subcategory.

Is research and development in textiles an AI-durable skill?

McKinsey's Skill Change Index places it in the declining band (SCI 53.77/100) — a skill likely to fall in demand as AI and automation cover more of its ground by 2030. Prioritise this skill only when it directly enables paid work today — plan for AI to absorb more of it every year.

Which jobs require research and development in textiles?

In our catalogue, 4 occupations list research and development in textiles as a required or important skill. The top occupations by employment volume include textile chemist, textile technologist, textile, leather and footwear researcher, textile product developer.

How transferable is research and development in textiles between industries?

ESCO tags research and development in textiles as a sector-specific (rooted in one industry) skill — a signal of how portable it is when you change field.

Is research and development in textiles the same as innovation for textile products?

Yes — research and development in textiles is also known as innovation for textile products, scientific and technological innovation for textile products development, research applied to textile products' development, textile production innovation, or applied research for textile development. They refer to the same underlying capability in the ESCO taxonomy.

How can I learn research and development in textiles?

The most reliable path is to pick a job or project that demands research and development in textiles and learn through delivery. Complement that with role-specific roadmaps and short courses. Explore the occupations below to see where this skill is used in practice.

Data: ESCO v1.2.1 (CC-BY-4.0). Durability framework informed by McKinsey Global Institute (Nov 2025). See our methodology.