Current exhibtions
Ulla's Collection of French Silk
March 12th - May 10th
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 Weaving 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.
The Factory
Our main exhibition about silk shawls, jacquard looms and female workers in the textile and clothing industry
In our permanent exhibition, you'll meet some of the women who worked here. You'll also learn more about the silk shawls, sashes, and dresses they wove and sewed. "The Factory" explores the silk weaving mill's nearly 200-year history, with a global outlook. From its founding in 1833, before the dawn of industrialization in Sweden, through its heyday, decline, expansion, the TEKO crisis, and its revival.
It is a fascinating story that both reflects the development of industrialization in Sweden and offers perspective on today's unsustainable fashion industry.