Where play sparks innovation

What happens when ten young makers are given complete freedom to play? During the practical weeks of the Advanced Textile Program (ATP), that question receives a different answer every day. This is a place for discovering, growing, failing and starting again. Amid the colourful experiments in the TextielLab, designer Kiki van Eijk is also present — mentor this year to a new generation of designers.

From established name to mentor

“The museum has my work in its collection, I had a solo exhibition here and I’ve worked with almost all of the product developers,” Kiki explains. “So when they asked me to become a mentor, I thought that was great.”

What appealed to her is that ATP focuses on makers who graduated no more than three years ago. “The participants belong to a slightly different generation from mine. They enter the field with fresh eyes and aren’t fixed in their thinking yet. At the same time, they’re professional enough to work independently. They don’t need to search for their identity anymore and can immediately dive deeper. That makes mentoring really interesting.”

A rich mix of talent and backgrounds

The Advanced Textile Program includes online sessions, workshops, coaching and two intensive practical weeks in the TextielLab. Participants have access to the library, textile collection, yarns and high-end machines. They work with experts from the lab and museum, as well as renowned professionals such as Kiki and the design team of Kvadrat.

For the 2025 edition of ATP, ten participants were selected from countries including Australia, Kenya, the United States, Iceland and France. “We deliberately chose diversity in both work and culture. Everyone brings a different background, and that inspires one another. I also looked for people who dare to fully commit, without knowing exactly where they’ll end up.”

Experimentation over end results

In the lab, everyone starts with a relatively simple ‘starter file’, designed to leave room for experimentation. “They’re mainly testing technique and material,” Kiki explains. “What happens if I let something float for a very long time? What if I seek out extreme contrasts in material or structure? The machines are really pushed to their limits. Everyone has their own focus, but none of them are working in a standard way.”

According to Kiki, there is no such thing as ‘failure’. “Even when something doesn’t turn out as expected, it always provides information. You realise you need a thinner yarn or a different material. It’s an essential step in the process. One of the makers, Adrian, for example, was knitting with very stiff linen — not an obvious combination. Holes appear because things ‘go wrong’. But that’s exactly what he wants to use, because it creates a certain filling that he then continues to experiment with. That’s precisely what we aim to achieve during these practical weeks. The goal isn’t a finished piece, but a series of rich experiments.”

Play as a prerequisite for innovation

ATP is all about innovation, and Kiki has a clear vision on that.
“I believe you can only truly innovate if you’re given the space to play.” She refers to the technicians at Philips in the past, who were allowed to experiment freely. “That’s how the CD player came into being. That kind of tinkering isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Without it, nothing new emerges. I really see ATP as a source of inspiration for the business world as well. Who knows what might come out of it.”

Sparring partner, not a teacher

Kiki coaches the group informally, right in the middle of the making process. “I approach them while they’re working, observe and offer ideas or suggestions. I find it interesting to see what they’re drawn to themselves and how I can help move their project forward by thinking along with them. Inspiration comes from them. I’m there as a sparring partner, not as a teacher. They decide what matters to them.”

What does she hope this group takes away from the programme? “That they realise how important it is to give themselves time to experiment without a predefined end goal. In everyday life, you quickly think: I don’t have time for that. But that space for play and research is absolutely essential.”

Wise lessons

And what has stayed with her personally from this group? “All participants have their own, unique way of working. That’s incredibly inspiring to see. Jacob, for instance, thinks about passement in a very innovative way; he works with non-standard cores. Adrian listens closely to ‘what the machine wants’. Sometimes he says: ‘No, the machine doesn’t want it today.’ And that’s fine.

“Isa sees what she makes as a starting point, something she continues by hand. Elles is much more technical, almost like an engineer. She puzzles things out in great detail, even together with the programmer. What’s special about this period is seeing all these different approaches side by side. In a normal working week, you schedule time for one project — here, everything happens at once. That forces me to look afresh and keep playing too. A wonderful reminder.”

The future of textiles

In the Advanced Textile Program, talent, expertise and curiosity come together. In this way, the TextielMuseum | TextielLab creates synergy between textile talents and experts from different disciplines and diverse backgrounds worldwide. By facilitating high-level experimentation and sharing insights with a wider audience, we help drive innovation in technique, material and sustainability. What emerges here is the future of textiles.

Text by Manon van Dijk