For her special project for the TextielMuseum, Lenneke Langenhuijsen from Buro BELÉN highlighted the industrial heritage of the renowned AaBe woollen blankets from the museum’s collection by creating a series of elegant cotton blankets. A new type of cotton yarn was developed in the TextielLab resulting in a fabric that can be combed.
The project started with an exploration of the possibilities and qualities of a new type of cotton yarn. Langenhuijsen was inspired by cotton that she saw local women spinning by hand during a research trip to Mali. To bridge the gap between concept and industrial application, she contacted a mill through the TextielLab. To colour the yarn, Langenhuijsen worked with Rubia Natural Colours, a Dutch company specialised in natural dyeing methods. Subtle patterns were created by combing natural, soft colours that fade and blend into each other. The yarn was put to the test on one of the TextielLab’s looms, which had never before been used to process such thick yarn.
Langenhuijsen graduated in 2010 from the Design Academy Eindhoven with Wooden Textiles, a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional techniques. At the academy, Langenhuijsen met Brecht Duijf, with whom she started Buro BELÉN. By broadening and expanding the material qualities of spaces, objects and products, BELÉN creates tangible designs for the future.
