K.A. Almgren silk factory & museum
An active textile factory in the middle of Stockholm
K. A Almgren silk factory is the only
still active silk factory that remains in Scandinavia. Here, silk
fabrics and ribbons are woven on original machines in their original factory
environment from the 1860s. It is also a place for exhibitions and programs
where textiles run like a common thread. Here is where present and history
meet.
The silk factory started already in 1833, before the breakthrough of industrialism in Sweden, and its history shows the various phases and challenges of the Swedish textile industry right into our own time. It has always been a women's workplace. Today, almost no textiles are manufactured in Sweden. It is instead a source of income for women on the other side of the globe. The silk factory provides knowledge about the role of the textile and clothing industry in both Stockholm's history and in the emergence of modern society and shows women's participation in this development. To promote a more sustainable textile and clothing industry globally is a natural part of the silk factory's mission.
What's on
Stockholm Craft Week 2023
During Stockholm Craft Week, we will show the exhibition Transgressive Haze, a number of contemporary weavings by newly graduated textile artist Terese Molin will move into K. A. Almgren Silk Weaving Mill and Museum. Using weaving as her primary medium, Terese creates abstract motifs where the narrative of color plays a central role.
The exhibition is open from 5 October to 2 November 2023.
Thursday 5 October 16.00-18.00: Opening
Friday 6 October 16.00-17.00: Artist's talk - Terese Molin will share insights about her artistic practice and the weavings featured in the exhibition Transgressive Haze.
The start of our apprenticeship in jacquard weaving
In the fall of 2023, we started "Almgren silk mill 3.0", in collaboration with the Academy of Crafts in Stockholm. For two years, three apprentices are given the opportunity to learn the entire production process from sketch to finished silk within the framework of Almgren's silk mill's business. Visitors are welcome to follow the work, both on site and via the website and social media.
Exhibitions
The City Hall Fabric – Jenny and Maja
This year marks the centennial anniversary of the opening of Stockholm City Hall. Maja Sjöström was the designer of all textiles for Stockholm City Hall. She made an inquiry to the K.A. Almgren silk factory regarding production. However, Almgren's declined the full order due to a lack of weaving resources, but accepted an offer of producing one single fabric. This was the upholstery silk with green- and silver stripes for the Prince's gallery. During the spring of 1923, Jenny Lindberg wove the full 88 meters of upholstery fabric by hand.
The Factory - our exhibition on the 3rd floor
The exhibition shows silk shawls, jacquard looms and female workers in the textile and clothing industry from the beginning of the 19th century to today.
In the Museum Store
Handwoven silk shawl from Almgren Silk Weaving Mill
A collection of seven unique silk shawls was handwoven at the Silk Weaving Mill in the spring of 2023. The design is made by Åsa Pärson, master weaver and artist and the weaver, Ellen Christensson, is an apprentice of Åsa. The warp consists of hand-dyed Japanese silk ribbons and the weft of silk yarn in either red, blue, green or navy.
For a long time, patterned silk shawls with long fringes were the main product at K. A. Almgren. This new collection of shawls is the first to be produced at K. A. Almgren in 80 years.
The shawls, 150 cm long and 19.8 cm wide, are for sale in the museum shop.
Almgren's washing soap
Almgren's washing soap is the silk factory's own product, specially developed for efficient and gentle washing of silk. It is also good for washing other natural materials such as wool, linen and cotton as well as leather and suede.
At the Silk Factory in 1943
Film in Swedish about Almgren's silk factory produced by the Swedish Film Industry.
The film is recorded in the silk factory and shows the production of silk fabrics and ribbons from threads to finished fabric. You will meet some of the women who worked at the factory and Holmberg who was a foreman until 1948. Photografer: Albert Rudling.