Projects past

Selected Projects by the Icelandic Textile Center (For larger-scale initiatives, see the list on the right.)

Fjólublár / PurpleBlue (2023-2024): The project Fjólublár was a collaborative effort between the Icelandic Textile Center, Biopol in Skagaströnd, and Ístex. Its goal is to develop a sustainable dyeing process for Icelandic wool, focusing on producing purple dye from the bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum. The project’s research aims to improve the cultivation conditions of the bacterium to maximize pigment production. Various waste materials are used as nutrient sources or growth media, with the objective of ensuring an environmentally friendly and sustainable production of dyes for textile dyeing. The project received funding from the SSNV Development Fund in 2023 and was exhibited at the Icelandic Design Museum as part of the exhibition series Heimsókn – Örverur á heimilinu (“Visit – Microbes at Home”) from October 2 to November 17, 2024.

Fibre Focus (2023)
Joint project with Sommerakademiet on sharing wool knowledge, stories, and wool-working skills across countries, titled “Wool as Shared Cultural Heritage and Art.” Funded by Kulturdirektoratet (Norway-Iceland cultural collaboration).

Wool in the North (2021–2023)
A NORA-funded project led by the Textile Center with partners in Norway, Scotland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. Focused on developing wool- and textile-themed slow tourism. Activities included stakeholder mapping, travel package proposals, and conference presentations. Videos are available on the Textile Center's YouTube channel.

Shemakes (2021–2022)
Horizon 2020 project to support future female innovators in sustainable fashion through education, networking, and business support. shemakes.eu

Prjónagleði – Icelandic Knit Fest
Annual knitting festival in Blönduós featuring workshops, lectures, tours, markets, and a themed competition. First held in 2015, it was hosted by the Textile Center through 2024 and then taken over by Húnabyggð municipality. 

Iceland Field School (2022 / 2024)
University credit course led by Dr. Kathleen Vaughan (Concordia University), combining art, environment, and community engagement. Students spend a full month in Blönduós under the midnight sun, exploring themes such as art, environmentalism, community, tourism, and museology—often through a textile lens. The Iceland Field School first came in June 2022 and returned June 2024, hosting 13 and 16 students, respectively.

ALLURE (2021-2023)
ALLURE is an Erasmus+ adult education project focused on crafts, textiles, and design, led by the Galicia Ministry of Education with partners from Iceland, Portugal, and Poland. It promotes cultural accessibility and lifelong learning through inclusive, creative workshops, international collaboration, and community engagement. allureculture.eu

"Þráðhyggja" / Thread Obsession (2021)
Textile waste research project led by Sólveig Hansdóttir and Berglind Ósk Hlynsdóttir in collaboration with the Icelandic University of the Arts. Watch the video here!

"Boðflenna" (2021)
Island exhibition by Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir (Shoplifter) on Hrútey, in collaboration with local partners and funded by regional arts grants.

"Farmer’s Perception of Wool" (2020)
Survey in collaboration with the University of Iceland's Social Science Research Institute. Funded by the Agricultural Productivity Fund.

"Flokk Till You Drop" (2020)
Clothing waste awareness project with the Red Cross and university partners, exploring design and reuse. Presented at the Museum of Design and Applied Art and DesignMarch. 

Kvennaskólinn – Visions (2020)
Architecture students envisioned the future of Kvennaskólinn during a residency at the Textile Center. Supported by the Student Innovation Fund.

Nordic-Baltic Scholarships (2019–2022)
Ós Residency hosted artists from Nordic and Baltic countries through funding from the Nordic Culture Point.