What will connect tableware and textiles in the future? To investigate this question, 37 students from the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology and the Faculty of Design at Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) worked together on an interdisciplinary basis. They will now present their results from February 7 to 11, 2025 at the "Ambiente" trade fair, one of the world's leading consumer goods fairs in Frankfurt am Main.
As part of the "Tabletop & Textile" project, the students took an in-depth look at the relationship between table linen and tableware, taking aesthetic, functional and social dimensions into account. "Understanding the interaction between the products and objects in our living environment not only opens up new perspectives, but also creates an exciting research field. As designers, we never look at what we are designing in isolation, but always in context. It is fascinating to see what happens when students from different disciplines examine this interaction together," says Lisa Freyschmidt, Professor of Ceramic, Porcelain and Glass Design at the Faculty of Design.
The result is ten very different collections inspired by pleated structures, gender diversity or nature, for example. In the "Blind Spot" collection, students developed inclusive table linen for blind and visually impaired people. Tactile structures, different lines and elevations are intended to make it easier for the target group to place crockery and cutlery. Whether Jacquard weaving machine, 3D printer or porcelain slip casting: all products were manufactured in the HSNR workshops. At the same time, a team of budding communication designers worked on a holistic appearance that made the interaction between the two faculties visible.
At the "Ambiente" trade fair, the students actively participate and take the opportunity to present their work, exchange ideas with trade visitors and get to know potential employers and future fields of activity.
Interested parties can find out more about the "Tabletop & Textile" project at www.designkrefeld.de/tabletopandtextile and on Instagram(hsnr_tabletopandtextil).
