The Factory
Our main exhibition on silk shawls, jacquard looms, and womens work in the textile and fashion industry, from the early 1800s to the present day
In our permanent exhibition on the third floor, you'll meet some of the women who worked here. You'll also learn more about the silk scarves, sashes, and dresses they wove and sew. "The Factory" explores the silk weaving mill's nearly 200-year history from a global perspective. From its founding in 1833, before the dawn of industrialization in Sweden, through its heyday, decline, expansion, the TEKO crisis, and its revival. All the way up to the present day.
It is a fascinating story that both reflects the development of industrialization in Sweden and offers perspective on today's unsustainable fashion industry.
The exhibition "The Factory" is structured around three themes, spanning from the 19th century to the present day and illuminated through the history of the K. A. Almgren silk weaving mill.
The rise and fall of Swedish made textile and fashion
The demand for shawls, combined with entrepreneurship and technical innovation (the Jacquard mechanism), gave rise to a successful silk industry in the 19th century and serves here as a symbol of Swedish industrialization in a broader sense. But how did the silk weaving industry manage to survive the 20th century, a time when demand for silk declined so sharply? During the 20th century, the business expanded, and several companies in the ready-to-wear fashion sector were established.
Womens work
The silk weaving mill has always been a workplace for women, and the exhibition highlights the women who have worked here from the 19th century onward. It features stories from former employees and objects connected to the various operations. Today, almost no textiles are manufactured in Sweden. Instead, it is a source of income for women on the other side of the globe. What was it like for a woman to work in the Swedish textile industry in the 1800s? And in the 1900s? What are the similarities and differences with today's working conditions in other countries?
Shawls
Using the shawl as an example, we trace the nearly 200-year history of the silk weaving mill. In the 19th century, the shawl was the silk weaving mill's most important product, widely popular among women, particularly in the peasantry, which at the time constituted a large majority of the population. Girls often received their first shawl in connection with their confirmation. At the same time, the shawl was a fashion accessory and an example of popular luxury consumption; women often owned many shawls. The demand for factory-made textiles drove industrialization. Around 1900, women began to prefer wearing hats, a trend that met with some resistance but could not be stopped. The exhibition offers historical and contemporary perspectives on the use of the shawl.