Ulla's Collection of French Silk

March 12th - May 9th

Ulla Cyrus-Zetterström had an unusually long professional life, first as a weaving teacher at Handarbetets Vänner in Stockholm, and then at the Textile Institute in Borås. After 40 years in the workforce, she worked for about 30 years with studies and assignments in the analysis and documentation of primarily older European and Chinese silk. Her great interest in silk was due, she said, to the fact that silk, which is both strong and thin, invites advanced weaving techniques. This led, among other things, to her building up her own silk collection. 

The exhibition shows Ulla Cyrus-Zetterström's collection of French silk from the 18th century. The collection was donated in 2014 to Oscar Almgren, who comes from the Almgren silk weaving family, with the wish that it would be shown to those interested.

The collection consists of 26 silks, mostly French and woven on a draw loom in the 18th century. The focus of the collection is on the weaving technique, how the fabrics are constructed, which is described in detail in Ulla Cyrus-Zetterström's analyses. The combination of weaves in the collection varies and no two silks are alike. For example, many of them have broached patterns on different ground fabrics and in different silk qualities. The collection provides a rich picture of 18th century weaving expertise when it comes to exclusive silk, but also of the aesthetics of the time. 

The exhibition and catalogue are produced by Åsa Haggren and Kazuyo Nomura in collaboration with Oscar Almgren and K. A. Almgren silk mill & museum. The collection will be on display after this exhibition at the Textile Museum in Borås, from 19 September and until the end of 2026. 

Photographer: Anna Sigge.

The Factory

Our main exhibition about silk shawls, jacquard looms and female workers in the textile and clothing industry, from the beginning of the 19th century to today

In our permanent exhibition on the third floor you get to meet some of the women who worked here and learn more about the silk scarves, and everything else, that they wove or sewed. The exhibition explores Almgren's silk factory's almost 200-year long history through a global perspective. From the beginning in 1833, before the breakthrough of industrialism in Sweden, through the glory days, the decline, the broadening of the business, the crisis of textile and clothing manufacturing in Sweden, and finally the restart, tying up the knot at present day. It is an exciting story that both reflects the development of industrialism in Sweden and provides a perspective on today's unsustainable fashion industry. Change is necessary and we can all contribute.

The exhibition Fabriken is built around three themes, from the 19th century to the present day and which are highlighted based on the history of Almgren's Silk factory.

The rise and fall of the textile and clothing manufacturing 

The demand for shawls in combination with entrepreneurship and technical innovation (jacquard mechanics) creates a successful silk industry in the 19th century and may here represent Swedish industrialization in a broader sense. But how did the Silk Weaving Company survive the 20th century, a time when the demand for silk fell? During the 20th century, the business expanded and several companies in fashion were started.

Female labour

Almgren's Silk Factory has always been a women's workplace and the exhibition highlights the women who have worked here from the 19th century onwards. Here are stories from previous employees and objects showing their work. Today, almost no textiles are manufactured in Sweden. It is instead a source of income for women on the other side of the globe. What was it like working as a woman in the Swedish textile industry in the 19th century? And in the 20th century? What are the similarities and differences with today's working conditions in other countries?

Silk shawls

Using the shawl as an example, we tie together the Silk Factory's nearly 200-year history. In the 19th century, the shawl was the silk mill's most important product with a large spread among women, especially among the peasantry, which at that time constituted a large majority of the population. Girls often received their first shawl in connection with confirmation. At the same time, the shawl was a fashion accessory and an example of popular luxury consumption. The demand for factory-made textiles pushed industrialization. Around 1900, women began to prefer wearing hats, a development that aroused some resistance but could not be stopped. The exhibition provides historical and contemporary perspectives on the use of shawls.

The Factory has been produced with support from the Swedish National Heritage Board.