Ventile will welcome a select group of members from the Weavers’ Company to its base in Zurich, Switzerland to share best practices, dive into industry trends, and promote sustainability.
Ventile points out the educational partnership has come about through a shared passion for textiles with both companies keen to champion the importance of heritage, expertise, and technical provenance in the textiles marketplace.
The forum, which marks the first of its kind for the organisations, will take place at Cilander in Herisau, the site where Ventile manufactures its technical cotton fabric, and will conclude with a round-table discussion and knowledge-sharing panel with business leaders.
Ventile brand director Daniel Odermatt says: "When the team from The Weavers’ Company got in touch to arrange a visit, we were thrilled. The company represents a long line of historical weavers and has been pivotal in the development of the British textile industry. We look forward to coming together to discuss both the history and the developments of the textile industry over recent years, and share knowledge and skills to take both organisations forward.”
The Weavers’ Company officer and upper bailiff, Peter Baxendell adds the members of the Weavers’ Company retain a close interest in all aspects of the textile and weaving industries in order to best support and encourage young people in the sector.
He remarks: "We are therefore delighted to be visiting Ventile and learning about their work and British textile heritage."
In addition to this, both Ventile and The Worshipful Company of Weavers highlight they are committed to supporting designers of the future through formal skills workshops, university presentations, and student mentoring, encouraging those new in the industry to make sustainable fabric choices.
