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Textile and Clothing Technology
Research

Hochschule Niederrhein. Your way.
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FTB eWeb Research Center EthNa R&D - Insights Sustainable Design News
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TextileMission

Research and Development

Application-oriented research is of high importance at the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology. It is an important driver of an intensive collaboration with the industry as well as of high quality education, especially in  the Master degree programs. 

Overcoming boundaries

As diverse as the offer of teaching are also the executed research and development projects. Organizationally this ranges from huge externally-funded projects to a variety of specific innovations in companies within the scope of final theses. Concerning the content, the whole textile chain is covered ranging from the fibre to the final manufactured textile and its commercialisation on the market. According to the university's mission statement "Overcoming boundaries" the faculty applies its broadly established competences in order to create new developments, even at the particularly interesting interfaces in between disciplines. 

Fields of research 

Some examples of fields of research are listed. 

  • New innovative textile structures are developed in order to realise an increased protective function with the help of three-dimensionally formed fabrics. Three-dimensional knittings and knitted fabrics are integrated in learning supportive clothing. 
  • Nano-technological finishings support fabrics that have incredible functionalities. Luminous elements and coatings provide astonishing functions and aesthetics to the fabrics.   
  • Made-to-measure clothing follows the increasing trend of individualisation in the challenging field of women's outerwear. RFID technology revolutionises the logistics of clothing manufacturing.
  • Computer-aided design and simulation of a product have become indispensable. 
  • New technologies at the point of sales and in e-business deliver the products to the customers in new ways.  

 

 

Research Institute for Textile and Clothing - FTB

Organisationally, the faculty bundles its most important research activities in the institute "FTB - Research Institute for Textile and Clothing".

On the homepage of the "FTB - Research Institute for Textile and Clothing" you can receive information about the institute, our recent publications and current information. You can obtain an overview of our research topics as well as of our current and completed projects on the pages of the individual research focuses. There, you will also find the respective contact for professional questions or project proposals.

You can contact the individual professors and employees via the list of staff at the institute; general telephone numbers via which you can contact the management of the institute, the secretary or the rooms of the institute can be found on the contact page.

FTB

Stick

Research Institute for Textile and Clothing (FTB)
Webschulstraße 31
D-41065 Mönchengladbach
Telephone: +49 (0)2161  186 6099
Fax:       +49 (0)2161 186-6013
Mail: ftb(at)hs-niederrhein.de

Head of the Institute: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Maike Rabe

FTB

eWeb Research Centre

The researching core area of the eWeb Research Centre is the empirical social research of the online induced buying behaviour. 

 

eWeb Research Centre

eweb

eWeb Research Centre
Webschulstraße 31
D-41065 Mönchengladbach
Telephone: +49 (0)215
Mail: eWeb Research Center

Head: Prof. Dr. Michael Schleusener
Telephone: +49 (0)2151 822-6610
Mail: Michael Schleusener

Head: Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Gerrit Heinemann
Telephone: +49 (0)2161 186-6125
Mail: Gerrit Heinemann

Head: Prof. Dr. Silvia Zaharia
Telephone: +49 (0)2151 822-6667
Mail: Silvia Zaharia

Web Pages eWeb Research Centre

EthNa Competence Centre CSR

The University of Applied Sciences bundles the growing relevance of ethics and sustainability in the management of enterprises in its EthNa and competence centre CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). This competence centre provides offers for students, university's graduates and companies that want to design ethically justifiable and sustainable processes. 

EthNa Compentence Centre CSR

druck

EthNa Competence Centre CSR
Reinarzstr. 49
D-47805 Krefeld
Telephone: +49 (0)2151 822-6683
Mail: ethna(at)hs-niederrhein.de

Head: Prof. Dr. Monika Eigenstetter
Telephone: +49 (0)2151 822-6683
Mail:       monika.eigenstetter(at)hs-niederrhein.de

Head: Prof. Dr. habil. Rudolf L. Voller
Telephone: +49 (0)2161 186-6010
Mail:      rudolf.voller(at)hs-niederrhein.de

Head: Prof. Dr. Martin Wenke
Telephone: +49 (0)2161 186-6442
Mail:      Martin.Wenke(at)hs-niederrhein.de

EthNa CSR

A.U.G.E

A.U.G.E. The institute works on innovative research questions from the four areas of occupational safety, environmental protection, health promotion and ethics. In applied research, we work with ministries, research institutes, health insurance companies, professional associations, educational institutions and companies, especially with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the Lower Rhine. Whether cross-border EU projects, research projects at federal and state level or R&D projects with regional companies - the interdisciplinary team at A.U.G.E. institute has the skills, know-how and vision to successfully implement these projects.

A.U.G.E

Schnitt Rock

A.U.G.E Institut
Webschulstr.31
D-41065 Mönchengladbach

Leitung: Prof. Dr. Monika Eigenstetter
Telefon: +49 2161 186 6626
Mail: Monika.Eigenstetter(at)hs-niederrhein.de

A.U.G.E

Center Textile Logistics CTL

Under the motto "Logistics for Textiles - Textiles for Logistics", the CTL aims to bundle the efforts of business to apply innovative solutions in practice and the interests of the scientific partners in practical, current research topics in the field of textile logistics in the Lower Rhine.

The focus is on five research lines:     

  • Sustainable textile logistics     
  • Last mile textile logistics    
  • Intralogistics and IT of the textile chain     
  • Textile logistics for intelligent clothing     
  • High performance textiles in production and logistics

CTL

CTL

Center Textile Logistics CTL
Webschulstr. 31
Visiting address: Richard-Wagner-Str. 140
41065 Mönchengladbach

Tel.: 02161 186-6130
Mail: ctl@hs-niederrhein.de

Head: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Muschkiet
Tel.: 02161 186-6130
Mail: Markus.Muschkiet(at)hs-niederrhein.de

CTL
Masterarbeit
Franziska Poddig, M.Sc., 2021

DNair Collection - 100% recycled Airbags, waterproof
- for Fashion and Interior Design

Thesis in the master's program Textile Products Design.

Sustainable design insight...
masterarbeit
Melissa Grustat, M.Sc., 2021

DNair Collection - 100% recycled Airbags, waterproof
- for Fashion and Interior Design

Thesis in the master's program Textile Products Design.

Sustainable design insight...
politFashionNight
PolitFashionNight – NRW

Great appearance of the Department of Textile and Clothing Technology on the first "PolitFashionNight – NRW macht Mode".

Video
Preisverleihung
materialPREIS2020
Elise Esser receives 1st place

The materialPREIS of raumprobe Stuttgart is an annual material competition, in which innovative materials of the building industry are awarded in different categories. Elise Esser submitted her specially developed sustainable biomaterial made of ginkgo leaves in the category 'Study' and received the 1st award. The flexible material "Ginoja" is biodegradable, translucent and versatile, for example in interior design or in the interior and textile sector and meets the highest demands of a completely circular sustainable resource management. The master thesis of Elise Esser was supervised by Prof. Dr. phil. M.-E. Wachs and Prof. StA. Dipl.-Des. R. Schmitt. In the course of a small, corona-compliant award ceremony the awards were presented in Stuttgart.

more about the product on the website of Elise Esser and Raumprobe Stuttgart:
https://elise-esser.de

https://www.raumprobe.com/de/material/werkstoff-aus-gingko-kunststoff--22110-01-11549

to the website of Raumprobe and the material price:
https://www.raumprobe.com/de/materialpreis

wachs_hall
Design Engineering Learning Landscapes

Prof. Ashley Hall PhD - Royal College of Art, London - and Prof. Dr. Marina-Elena Wachs - Hochschule Niederrhein -  discussing Design Engineering Learning Landscapes of the Future… presenting together at EPDE Conference at Strathclyde University September 2019 ...see more…

Abstract for Conference

PDF of Presentation

Workshop "textile and light"
ausstellung materialansichten
materialPREIS 2018 - MaterialANSICHTEN

Textile Design Master students exhibited new material in the exhibition MaterialVIEWS at the Design Center Baden-Württemberg - nominated for the "Material Prize 2018" by raumPROBE Stuttgart.

MaterialANSICHTEN
fty 2018
Feel the Yarn 2018

Master student wins at International Knitting Design Competition in Florence

Feel the Yarn 2018
LCover Train
Katharina Grobheiser

Award of Wilhelm-Lorch Stiftung for Katharina Grobheiser

L(ifestyle) Train
Water resistent
WATER “resistant” – about sustainable design goals!

The interdisciplinary "annual theme" of Prof. Dr. Marina-Elena Wachs, on "sketching and greening the (design) future", asks for a greater consumer responsibility, in trade and handling with packaging possibilities and morals: wrapping, wrapping mail that is reused, for textile, fashion design and packaging (and landscaping) design! Landscapes and buildings evoke in the question of "packaging", smart sustainable covering, a change in the way we deal with objects and media, for the sake of the (surrounding) world and us humans.
An ethically sustainable "material - and cultural behavior" looks at our resources of the future: this semester focusing on water, water scarcity, water consumption, processes and rituals with water in everyday life and holidays. Thus, textile engineering is to lead into the next technical, material, feasible level ...

Project Page
textile
Forschungs-und Transferzentrum Digital Hamburg
textile sketching textile

 textile sketching textile - design by "a wo/man not a mannequin"

"sketching the world! with your...statement!" We want to design analogously by hand, but also explore concepts for a more physically initiated sketching in virtual space using textile materials and surfaces. A change in the handling of media, objects and the (surrounding) world is obvious. How will we deal with the design process and media in a sustainable way tomorrow after the digitalization phase, which is currently taking place intensively?

 

Project page
fleur de fashion
Fleur de FASHION - DESIGN HYBRIDS created by AI + EQ

Fleur de FASHION: Inspiration and discovery following the Humboldt brothers or other representations of nature, added by postmodern expressions by Barbara Kasten's oeuvre. Including - multisensory - material, this interdisciplinary project serves to search for alternatives, for a change in the world of the 21st century. Fleur de Fashion wants to generate hybrids and collaborations, collaborations of media + sciences, analogue + digital, yesterday’s world of knowledge (Humboldt's) + tomorrow’s (avatars), of design disciplines + cultural studies.

Inspired by the "Culture Sensible" (cf.: Université de Liège) and a networked thinking, working and research, it provides a fund to actively create hybrid systems in design. The Blue Hour changes towards a relaxation hour, i.e. Sustainable and Smart Fashion Solutions can be experienced with other senses...- 

...(accidental) inventions and discoveries are explored, discoveries that sometimes require not only knowledge, but passion, instinct... the "flow" in creating, - in design, which is not nourished by intellect alone.

Project page
change
Change

Under the motto "Wandel", students from the Department of Textile and Clothing Technology at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences will present their creations at the National Press Ball on 29 November 2019 at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin. The idea for this unique performance for the students came into life at the beginning of June 2019 on the occasion of the PolitFashion Night in Berlin. The Department of Textile and Clothing Technology of Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences convinced not only the NRW state father Armin Laschet, but also the representatives of Bundespresseball GmbH and one of this year's partners, the Gesamtverband textil+mode, with their fashion show.

project page
textilepop
TEXTILEPOP

TEXTILEPOP is a collaboration with NRW-Forum Düsseldorf, Hochschule Niederrhein – University of Applied Sciences and European Guests, which shows all of the possible textile competence fields in Design / Engineering / Management with focus on SUSTAINABILITY within four exposition spaces. In addition TEXTILEPOP tries to sketch and to research innovative tools of education programs for school and applied solutions for the industry in non-hierarchical format: from school to university, to the circular industry management.
The exposition takes place in the week of the Election of European Parliament: 2019!

The expo „TEXTILEPOP - Europeans together in SUSTAINABLE design / engineering / management“, at NRW-Forum, (Düsseldorf 23rd to 27th of May 2019) will frame the exclusive workshops, guided tours and interaction playground for children.

Project Page
bild
Design is Music is Design – European United!

- sustainable SMART solutions in Design/Engineering/Management.

... listen to the design...feel and touch the rhythm ...come to common characteristics in design / engineering / management .. together for strong European partnerships…

The interdisciplinary, cross cultural and interactive project “Design is Music is Design – European United!” (2019), part of a research project of Prof. Dr. Marina-Elena Wachs, is focusing on connecting different senses! The linkage will connect to other cultures in design / engineering from Europe, for a better understanding of the post-digital demands in „industry“, to come to new design scenarios – innovative solutions: SUSTAINABLE AND SMART AND and MULTI-SENSUAL…

 “Design is music – music is design: European united! Sketching the design/engineering future together in non hierarchical patterns...”
(Marina-Elena Wachs, 2018)

Project Page
texperimental
texperimental

This publication documents a selection of outstanding artistic and engineering case studies which were completed as part of several high-level BA and MA student projects by the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology at the Hochschule Niederrhein (University of Applied Sciences), Mönchengladbach, Germany. The results of the projects and research evidence the extensive range of creative potential, scope of technical design, compliance with sustainability demands as well as the success of combined engineering solutions. They also show the excellent standard of interdisciplinary networking between the teaching staff in various scientific and design disciplines as well as with partners from the industry in the Lower Rhine region, Europe and beyond.
The design and management concepts and works of art focus on the following topics: Textile Technology, Art of Textiles, New Interior Solutions, Textile Industry 4.0, Sustainable Design Concepts, Design Transfer, Female Statements and Smart Future. 
Presentation of the projects is supplemented by statements of the teaching staff, as well by as reports of external great experts and journalists.

We invite you to accompany us on a journey through the creative, innovative, smart, sustainable world of textile design research and (T)experiments of the future.

Prof. Dipl.-Des. Ellen Bendt
Prof. Dr. Dipl.-Des. Marina-Elena Wachs

Digital Publication
ArchiSkulptur
Textile ArchiSculpture (2018/19)

The interdisciplinary design project Textile ArchiSculpture (2018/19) (originally "Textile ArchiSkulptur"), initiated by Prof. Dr- Marina Wachs, aims at highlighting the textile cultural heritage in North Rhine-Westphalia and to concretise its sustainable (inter-) cultural value. Moreover, it targets to connect through European textile expertise and to design future textile (digital) sustainable worlds via a transfer of characteristics of these special locations of textiles, design patterns and design parameters in fashion and textile design as well as in architecture. 
Every student does this as "design driver" with a very individual signature, a special identification with textiles. 

Project Page
beauty-teaser
The Beauty in Design - AEsthetics and Functions

"The beauty in design – aesthetics and functions caused by combining analogue with digital processing"

Project Page
next blue teaser
Change - the next blue in fashion and textile

"BLUE is the new GREEN in the the debate of sustainability in design" (Wachs).

This thesis was the beginning of a new interdisciplinary topic which is explored at the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology in the scope of research projects, final theses and semester works. 

Project Page
german_look-teaser
The German Look - advanced TEXTILE solutions

The interdisciplinary project „The German Look - advanced TEXTILE solutions", which will be presented in 2015, will show a collection of several BA- and MA-student projects and research works of Master students - with the help of 6 categories: Smart Textiles and Mobility in Fashion, Luxury and Sustainability, Design concepts...for a better world, Textile Porcelain, Smart mobility to go, Kids world.

Project Page
campaign_wool-teaser
Campaign for Wool

Within the Wool School Project of the Campaign for Wool eleven Master students of the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology of the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences in Mönchengladbach developed wonderful white wool outfits according to the topic of sustainable virgin wool, under the guidance of Prof. Ellen Bendt - professor for fashion design with focus on knitted and innovative product design - and Prof. Dr. Marina-Elena Wachs - professor for design theory. 

 

Project Page