Summer Symposium 2026: Rethinking textile waste

The TEXTILE KULTUR HASLACH summer symposium will be held this year from 20 to 31 July 2026. Between the two course weeks, the international WEAVERS' MARKET with Faserzone will take place on the weekend of 25/26 July.

The theme of this year's summer symposium is RETHINKING TEXTILE WASTE. It revolves around current issues relating to overproduction and recycling, scrutinises the handling of fast fashion and production waste and focuses on ideas that see waste as a valuable resource. Several exhibitions and evening events will shed light on various facets of this extensive topic. And, of course, the course programme also makes reference to this: our course instructors will stimulate your creativity by weaving, braiding, knitting or sewing with textile waste materials, and many a seemingly useless material will be given a new lease of life with fresh ideas!

In the first week of the course, we offer a full-day excursion on Monday to various textile companies in the Mühlviertel region that provide production waste for the courses. Some courses in which these materials are used will therefore only start on Tuesday this year. Further details on the supporting programme and the exhibitions can be found here.

We look forward to you becoming part of our textile summer and cordially invite you to the Mühlviertel!

Programme preview

Exhibitions & supporting programme

Two exhibitions will focus on this year's theme. The exhibition „MIST! Rethinking textile waste!“ in the special exhibition room of the Textile Centre Haslach explains the background to different types of textile waste, conveys innovative recycling ideas and provides future-oriented examples of contemporary design that show how residual materials can become valuable raw materials.
In the second exhibition „TWIST - Art from Dung“, free, experimental works are presented on the eight floors of the Haslach church tower, which utilise various textile waste materials to formulate independent modes of expression and artistic statements. In addition to works by invited international artists, contributions by students from the University of Art and Design Linz and other educational institutions will also be on display, opening up a young, fresh perspective on the subject.

Opening of both exhibitions on Monday, 20 July, 19:30

In addition to the two large exhibitions, there will be other smaller exhibitions, activities in public spaces and lectures. There will be a finissage on Friday from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, where the results of the courses will be shown.
The detailed supporting programme will be published in May!

Weavers' market weekend: Sat 25 / Sun 26 July

International weavers' market in the old „Stelzen“ district and around the textile factory: Sat 25 July 9:00-18:00 and Sun 26 July 9:00-17:00
Faserzone: Sale of yarns, material & accessories: Fri 24 July 16:00-18:00, Sat 25 July 9:00-18:00, Sun 26 July 9:00-17:00
Admission: 4 Euro