Symposium Threads of Innovation – Then. Now. Next

Textiles are taking centre stage. As a material, a carrier of stories and a catalyst for innovation, textiles are more visible and relevant than ever within art, design and architecture. During Threads of Innovation 2026 – Then. Now. Next, the TextielMuseum | TextielLab brings together an international network of artists, designers, architects, students, industry partners, cultural organisations and knowledge institutions. From a range of perspectives – from art and design to curatorship, trend and design research, production and industry – leading speakers and participants explore how textiles have developed over recent decades, which challenges and opportunities are emerging today, and what directions the future may hold.

The symposium offers space for reflection and exchange on the development of textiles: from the past decades to the possibilities of tomorrow. Through perspectives including art and design, curatorship, trend and design research, industry and science, developments, challenges and future opportunities are explored. The symposium marks 25 years of computer-controlled weaving at the TextielLab and uses this moment as a starting point for a broader reflection on the textile field. The focus is not the Lab itself, but the developments that have taken shape both within and beyond it: the changing role of textiles in art, design, architecture and industry, the emergence of new technologies and materials, and the ongoing search for a balance between innovation and human craftsmanship.

THEN. We look back at 25 years in which textiles have developed from an applied discipline into an influential force within art, design, architecture, industry and society. New techniques, material research and cross-disciplinary collaborations, among other developments, have permanently transformed the field.

NOW. We explore where the textile field stands today. New materials, innovative applications and societal challenges are changing the ways in which we design, develop, produce, collect and present textiles.

NEXT We look ahead to the future of textiles. How can innovation and craftsmanship continue to challenge and strengthen one another? Which new ways of making, designing and collaborating are emerging? And what role can textiles play in the world of tomorrow?

As an international workshop and development environment, the TextielLab is a meeting place where ideas are tested, knowledge is shared and new applications emerge. Threads of Innovation – Then. Now. Next brings this international network together and creates space for inspiration, in-depth exchange and new connections.

The programme

We open Threads of Innovation with an international plenary keynote programme. The keynote lectures provide a shared starting point for the rest of the day: a moment of reflection on 25 years of development and an invitation to look ahead to the future of textiles.

Photo by Roos Pierson

Leading voices from the fields of art, design, architecture, research and trend forecasting share their perspectives on the developments that have shaped the textile field and the questions that will define its future. Visual artist Otobong Nkanga, Amanda Pinatih, Curator of Design and Contemporary Art at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, author and professor Jessica Hemmings, Professor at the University of Gothenburg and the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Crystal Tang, Associate Director and Senior Architect at UNS, and trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort, founder of Trend Union, each bring their own perspective on the role of textiles within their field of expertise.

The conversation is moderated by Maaike Muis, moderator, podcast host and trainer with more than twenty years of experience in the cultural and creative sectors. She connects the different perspectives and guides the conversation with the audience.

The morning programme can be followed both on location and online. With an online ticket, you can follow the keynotes live via livestream and gain access to the recordings afterwards, allowing you to revisit the programme at a later moment. This makes the keynote programme accessible worldwide.

Break-out sessions

In the afternoon, the focus shifts from reflection and inspiration to practice. During interactive break-out sessions, you get a behind-the-scenes look at current projects and collaborations in which the TextielLab plays a connecting role. From material development and technological innovation to architecture, production processes and the future of craftsmanship: the sessions show how ideas are tested, developed and applied.

International and Dutch designers, researchers, architects and industry partners share their knowledge and experiences. Among others, Lea Nordström from Kvadrat Innovation Lab, Peter Dornier from Lindauer DORNIER, Alexandra Ross, Florian Idenburg from SO–IL, Chris Kabel, Akane Moriyama, Tomas Dirrix, Team Thursday, Kiki van Eijk and Koen Taselaar engage in conversation with TextielLab experts, including material advisor Lise Brunt and product developers Stef Miero and Judith Peskens. Together, they explore how materials, technology, design and making processes influence one another and enable new applications.

An international meeting place

Threads of Innovation is more than a symposium: it is a place where the international textile community comes together to share knowledge, discover new perspectives and create connections that extend beyond a single day.

Meeting and exchange are important foundations for innovation. That is why there is ample opportunity throughout the day for conversations and encounters. During the welcome reception, the shared lunch and the closing networking drinks, different worlds come together: from design and research to industry and cultural practice.

Experience Threads of Innovation fully on location at the TextielMuseum

With a physical ticket, you gain access to the full-day programme, including:

• the international keynote programme in the morning
• the interactive break-out sessions in the afternoon
• coffee, tea and water
• lunch
• networking drinks

A day full of inspiration, in-depth exchange and encounters with professionals from the international textile field. A unique opportunity to exchange ideas, discover new collaborations and become part of the conversation about the future of textiles.

Online ticket

Would you like to follow Threads of Innovation from another location? With an online ticket, you gain access to the plenary keynote programme in the morning via livestream. You can follow the keynote lectures live and will also receive access to the recordings, allowing you to watch the morning programme at a later moment.