The aim of the fair visit was to discover new materials and machinery as well as to establish new contacts with manufacturers in Europe and beyond.
The fair featured a wide representation of Chinese textile producers, along with manufacturers from Turkey and Poland. In addition to traditional textile suppliers, several companies offering machinery for garment sewing, textile printing, and digital design were also present. This makes Fast Textile an important international platform for professionals in the textile and fashion design fields.
The fair was more than just a meeting place – it offered designers the opportunity to meet manufacturers directly, explore different machines, and see and feel fabrics firsthand. New contacts were also established, which will hopefully lead to future collaboration projects.
In addition to the fair, the group visited the Central Museum of Textiles (CMwL) in Łódź. The museum is located in the historic White Factory, once a prominent part of the city’s significant textile industry. Its diverse collection includes thousands of fabrics, wallpapers, industrial knits, and prints from various eras, as well as old machinery – rolling, weaving, and printing machines that tell the story of the rise and development of the textile industry.
The Machines in Motion exhibition offered a fascinating opportunity to see historical weaving machines in operation. Their deafening noise and rhythmic movement vividly conveyed the everyday reality of former textile mills. The looms from the late 19th and early 20th centuries demonstrated how skilled and demanding the work of weavers once was, and how crucial human labour was before the arrival of modern machinery.
This historical perspective on the textile industry creates a striking contrast with the contemporary world of fairs and production. While many traditional textile factories in Europe have disappeared, the museum highlights how important and rich textile production has been in the past. This experience is particularly valuable for designers who strive to connect history, craftsmanship, and contemporary design.
Eve Hanson summarised her experience as follows: “The main value was learning what the Fast Textile fair is like. I made some contacts with companies with whom I hope to collaborate in the future. Łódź has been a major and proud textile industry city, and it was inspiring to explore its history. The decline of the European textile industry is thought-provoking. A lovely bonus of such trips is the exchange of ideas and information with other designers.”
Tiia Orgna (Mithio): “I gained new contacts that will hopefully be useful once samples and price offers arrive. I also got inspiration regarding new techniques and possibilities in knitwear.”
Cärol Ott (Carolxott): “The visit to Poland was a great opportunity to get to know industry professionals in our neighbouring region. Most attention typically goes to Paris or Italian fairs, which can sometimes be too far for certain projects. We wanted to explore local opportunities and manufacturers. In terms of textiles, the fair was somewhat weak – there were many Chinese and Turkish traders whose minimum quantities are too large for small businesses. However, the selection of prints and related services was quite extensive.”
The study trip to Poland was co-funded by the European Union and the project “Support Services for Creative Entrepreneurs for Sustainable Development and Export Capacity Growth” by the Tallinn Creative Incubator.
