![]() ![]() “Typically in printing you want to keep the base very flat.” “We looked at how we could add value to a woven product using printing,” Hider says. A flattened design file from Hider’s thesis research. She looked specifically at upholstery fabrics used in products such as pillows or cushions you might find in your house. Her research focused on the assessment of digital inkjet printing on jacquard-woven base cloths. The program allowed her to integrate the two degrees, starting her master’s coursework in the last year of her undergraduate degree.Īs she transitioned to her master’s coursework, Hider’s focus shifted to her thesis. While on campus, Hider completed both her degrees in five years through the college’s accelerated bachelor’s master’s program. She was the founding member of NC State’s chapter of WithIt, a member of the Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (TATM) Student Advisory Board and a member of both Sigma Tau Sigma Honor Society and Kappa Tau Beta Leadership Fraternity. The immense commitment to the Wilson College community that brought Hider back to the career fair this year started right here on campus. “With every new opportunity comes a learning curve, but understanding textile fundamentals really allowed me to quickly become involved and actually create a positive impact.” “Being a student at the college, we learned about making a product from the polymer to the finished piece,” Hider says. She credits the Wilson College with giving her the edge she needed to jump-start her career. Hider cultivated the skills needed to wear those hats while she earned both her bachelor’s in FTD and a Master of Science in Textiles from Wilson College, graduating in 2018. A kaftan and knit dress from Hider’s FTD Emerging Designer’s Showcase, “Aligned (Undefined).” Photo courtesy: Veritas Digital Photography Attending color and design conferences, trend forecasting, and working with Mohawk’s sales teams are just a few of the ways she spends her days. Hider wears many hats at her current position. I also get to help make decisions on product design, channel placements and meet influential leaders in the flooring industry.” “I do anything from portfolio analysis to customer visits where we go out and talk to dealers and receive product feedback. ![]() In her current position as a carpet product manager, she works with Mohawk’s North American clients. “Having that education and understanding from the Wilson College of Textiles gave me the confidence to apply for new positions and the foundation on which to keep building.” “I’ve always been interested in the mechanical side of textiles and how design and manufacturing go together,” Hider explains. In 2019 she accepted a new position at Mohawk, moving from design into product development, acting on an interest she’d had since starting at the Wilson College. It wasn’t long, however, before she decided to push herself even further. Hider started at Mohawk as a designer, applying the creativity and skillset she fostered through a bachelor’s degree in fashion and textile design (FTD) to creating new and exciting flooring products. In her role at Mohawk, Hider is an integral part of a company that serves over 170 countries and 25,000 customers. “Coming back and seeing people who really helped contribute to my professional education, my friends, peers and mentors was incredible.” “Textiles is a big family,” Hider, a product manager for Mohawk Industries, says. It was there that she got her foot in the door with Mohawk Industries, a global flooring manufacturer and the very company she represented this year. Just four years earlier, Hider attended the same career fair as a textile design student looking to find her place in the industry. One of these professionals was Claire Hider. The Wilson College of Textiles’ spring career fair brought industry professionals from across the country to Centennial Campus.
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