Fibres, Fabrication and New Textile Structures at Dutch Design Week 2026

At Dutch Design Week 2026, taking place in Eindhoven from 17–25 October, designers explore how fibre sources and production techniques can expand the possibilities of textiles. Human hair waste, local wool, recycled PET and biobased polymers provide starting points for projects that connect material research with weaving, welding and digital fabrication. The results range from garments and accessories to sculptural structures and potential architectural applications.

Rediscovering Fibre Resources

ādara®, developed by Human Material Loop, introduces a keratin protein fibre made from human hair waste for the interior industry. The company has engineered its technology for industrial production using existing textile machinery and infrastructure. Through collaborations with designer Roger Haan and WANDSCHAPPEN, the presentation explores how this new fibre can translate into designed objects and surfaces.

(GROND)STOFFEN, by Sophie Nelissen of Studio SUFI, investigates another overlooked resource: Dutch sheep wool. Sourced from sheep grazing local nature reserves, this wool is naturally coarser than varieties such as merino. Nelissen developed industrial yarns and tested knitting and weaving techniques to create soft, wearable garments. The resulting collection demonstrates how processing can expand the applications of a regional fibre.

Connecting Through Welding

In Weave / Weld, A+N and EE Exclusives explore what happens when woven recycled PET is welded instead of sewn. Connections become part of the material’s visual and tactile expression. Welding patterns, folds and layers generate relief, volume and three-dimensional structures. Hanging works and process samples investigate potential uses in partitions, façades and other spatial elements.

Welded Loop Biobased combines the expertise of Knit in Motion, led by Suzanne Oude Hengel, and Studio Joris de Groot. Their ongoing research examines biobased PLA through knitting, welding and 3D printing. Experiments and prototypes explore possibilities for footwear, bags and other accessories, connecting material properties with production methods.

From Fibre to Three-Dimensional Form

Standing Textile(s) – Mono Matter, by Fransje Gimbrère, revisits three-dimensional woven structures through a single biobased material. The project explores a compostable alternative to resin, presenting this experiment alongside completed sculptures. It brings material composition into the development of textile forms that extend beyond flat surfaces.

What We Felt investigates Austrian sheep’s wool through computer-aided design and needle felting. CNC and robot-assisted processes selectively compact the fibres, shaping objects directly without first producing yarn or adding another material. Three collaborations with Viennese designers demonstrate potential applications in fashion, furniture and packaging, linking a traditional technique with controlled digital production.

Across these projects, textile innovation emerges through both material choice and methods of making. By reconsidering fibre sources, connections and structural possibilities, designers reveal new routes from raw material to garment, object and space.

Source & photos via Dutch Design Week