The TextielLab has four computer-controlled Dornier jacquard rapier looms, one of which can weave fabrics up to 3.5 metres wide. A host of innovative projects have been developed in the lab’s weaving department, from smart blinds and glow-in-the-dark wall hangings to 3D structures. Our master weavers will help you find the best way to turn your ideas into textiles.
Technique
Weaving is the process of interlacing warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) threads. The warp threads are laid flat and wound around a warp beam while the weft threads are spooled onto a cone. You can weave different materials with various textures and properties, from mohair and organic cotton to rubber and metal. Visit our digital Sample Studio to find out more about what the weaving department has to offer.
Looms
The TextielLab has three computer-controlled Dornier jacquard rapier looms with 6,114 warp threads each. The maximum weaving width is 170 cm. After shrinkage, the width of the final fabric is about 165 cm. The lab also has a computer-controlled Dornier rapier loom with 12,708 warp threads. The maximum weaving width of this loom is 354 cm; the width of the final fabric is about 345 cm. All four looms use textile design software from NedGraphics.
Photo: Merel van Dooren
Photo: Josefina Eikenaar
Yarn collection
The TextielLab has an unrivalled yarn collection. Besides standard yarns, the lab also researches and buys special yarns. We work with sustainable yarns from European suppliers wherever possible, and we research specific applications for different yarns in textile products.
Finishing
All fabrics come off the looms unfinished. They can be finished to your specifications in the assembly studio by a team of experienced tailors.
Working in the TextielLab?
Would you like to work in our weaving department? Click ‘Submit request’ below to send us a project proposal with a clear description of the concept and intended result. The project must relate to interior design, art or fashion. We will assess the proposal on motivation, innovation and artistry. If there is a match, we will invite you for an intake interview to determine whether the project is feasible. After the interview, we will send you a work plan and quote. Once you approve this, we will schedule the development of your project. For the best result, we recommend that you are in the lab as much as possible during the development phase. If are unable to come yourself, you can also work remotely. Please contact the Front Office to help you set this up.
Costs
The cost of developing a project in the weaving department depends on several factors that vary for each project. These include the number of development days, the materials used and whether any assembly is required. The full rate for a development day is approximately €1,000 (excl. VAT).
Thanks to a subsidy from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Province of Noord-Brabant and the City of Tilburg, the lab can reimburse a part of the development costs. If you come to work for a client or if your project is partly supported by a subsidy, we cover 35% of the total costs per project. If you come to develop your own work, without a client and without a subsidy, we will cover 65% of the total costs. And for young talent (graduating students), the lab contributes 80% of the total costs.
After the intake interview and in discussion with you, the lab team will determine how many development days are needed to realise the project. Additional fees will be charged for materials, assembly and any other costs incurred. After the intake interview, the lab will send you a final quote.
Photo: Tommy de Lange
How to submit a design
Once we have accepted the project and scheduled the development days, we will ask you to submit a design according to the specifications below.
Submitting a design for a 170 cm loom
- Digital design in Photoshop or Illustrator of 36 pixels per centimetre.
- Maximum design width is 6,114 pixels per centimetre, 170 cm wide.
Submitting a design for the 354 cm loom
- Digital design in Photoshop or Illustrator of 36 pixels per centimetre.
- Maximum design width is 12,702 pixels, 354 cm wide.
