Graduating students – Hannah Russell, BSc(Hons) Textile Design

Congratulations to all our students on their graduation

WOOL might be the oldest fabric, but innovations in textile technology mean it also has an exciting and evolving future. Award-winning University of Huddersfield graduate Hannah Russell aims to be part of it.

The Cheshire-based former student has received First Class Honours for her Bachelor of Science in Textile Design. The fact that her degree is a BSc is highly significant. Huddersfield is the only university to offer this option for textile design students, who decide early in their courses which route to take – scientific or aesthetic.

“Throughout the course you are taught both BA and BSc modules but during my studies I found I was drawn to the BSc side. We looked at materials and processes and I just found it really interesting,” said Hannah.

Study Textiles at Huddersfield

Her scientific bent also led her to specialise in weaving, a highly technical process. Hannah is also deeply committed to wool fibre, which is sustainable and can be used for high-performance fabrics. Her final-year project saw her developing a high twist yarn that has some unusual textures.

Her work has meant that the long-established Worshipful Company of Woolmen has bestowed on Hannah an award for Outstanding Student Working on Wool Development and Product Design.  She will receive a medal and a cash prize, to be awarded in person by the Woolmen at their Annual Civic Dinner in London.

This follows bursaries that she earlier received from both the Woolmen and The Worshipful Company of Weavers. 

During her course, Hannah had a work placement in the lab at the Carrington Fabrics plant in Bolton. She also had five months as part of the materials team at the Oslo HQ of global outdoors clothing brand Helly Hansen.

“I really enjoyed what I was doing there and the whole area of performance fabrics. It was really exciting,” said Hannah, whose career goal is to work as a fabric technologist.