Fabricademy

Fabricademy is a 6-month international educational programme that explores the intersection of textiles, digital fabrication and biology. We are currently running the 7th edition of Fabricademy until March. You can now apply for the 8th edition 2024-2025 starting this upcoming September 2024, at Waag’s TextileLab Amsterdam. Find out more about the programme, the lab and its instructors.
Register today.

About Fabricademy

Fabricademy at Waag’s TextileLab Amsterdam

Fabricademy runs in various nodes all over the world. TextileLab Amsterdam is one of the initiators of the programme, bringing innovation and access to technology for textile, fashion and material designers. Here, researchers, artists, engineers and creatives explore together the future of the textile and clothing industry. You can think of it as a playground for craftsmanship, heritage, technology, digital fabrication, shared knowledge and biology.

TextileLab Amsterdam is based in the Waag building, which decades ago used to be the house of the guilds and is one of the most interesting historical locations of Amsterdam. Here, we question and investigate future opportunities and challenges of technology and society – how these impact the textiles and clothing industries in terms of approach, systemic and holistic values-driven nature, technological challenges and environmental concerns. TextileLab Amsterdam was founded by Cecilia Raspanti and Ista Boszhard in 2016. Discover other projects and activities conducted by TextileLab Amsterdam.

 

The TextileLab in the historical Waag building in Amsterdam.

About the programme

Fabricademy is structured in two complementary phases: skills capsules & personal project development. During the first three months (September – December), as a participant you are provided with in-depth lectures and masterclasses on topics such as circular fashion, wearable technology, bio-fabricating materials and sustainability.

In parallel, tutorials and workshops will give you the tools and the knowledge to develop your own in-depth research project in the TextileLab Amsterdam during the Fabricademy programme. You will obtain hands-on experience to work with digital fabrication tools such as laser cutters, 3D printers and CNC milling machines, and introductions to a variety of complementary softwares such as Rhino3d, Grasshopper, Clo3d and so on.

In the second part of the programme (January – April), it’s up to you to integrate the knowledge and tools into a personal project. You will be mentored by our dedicated instructors and a pool of international experts to develop your own project.

 

The material archive in TextileLab Amsterdam.

Register now for the upcoming Fabricademy - starting September 2024!

Final project development

Concept development, research, fabrication and storytelling

Jan-March 2024

Follow a subset of Fabricademy classes

It’s preferred to take the whole programme, but it’s also possible to enrol for a subset: PARTIAL (3 months of masterclasses), SHORT (1 month of masterclasses) or SINGLE (1 week masterclass).

Proposed thematic modules

Apply for a subset or single class

Is this programme for me? 

Do you have a curious and critical mindset towards textiles and technology? Do you like making, experimenting and  working with your hands and are you ready to share your making process while learning with a group of pioneers? Do you believe in open source and continuous learning? Then, Fabricademy is made for you!

We look for participants that believe a different world for textiles and fashion design is possible, one where biomaterials and circularity are at its core.

Specific knowledge isn’t required. Being in the intersection of multiple disciplines, this programme suits a wide range of (educational) backgrounds and professions.

You can find more information on the Fabricademy website.

Go to the Fabricademy website

Contact

If you want to get in touch, if you have some more questions considering the programme, or if you’re curious if Fabricademy is something for you: don’t hesitate to reach out. Mail to: textilelab@waag.org.

Read general terms and conditions

Staff

Cecilia Raspanti
Isabel Berentzen
Michelle Vossen
Asli Aksan

What is Waag?

Waag Futurelab is a part research institute, part cultural organisation, that focuses on emerging technology, underlying assumptions, design, development and art, contributing to a more open, fair and inclusive society. It is accommodated in the oldest non-religious building of Amsterdam, the Waag, in the centre of the Nieuwmarkt square.

In this building, three of Waag’s labs can be found: the TextileLab Amsterdam, focusing on bridging the gap between textiles and technology, the FabLab for digital fabrication, and the Open Wetlab for biotechnology. Waag is not a school, but intends to transfer knowledge on the unique crossings of textiles, biotechnology, digital fabrication and more to anyone who wants to learn and to contribute to a better future. This is done, amongst others, through the internationally acknowledged academies: Fabricademy, Fab Academy and BioHack Academy.