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Textile designer and researcher Nicky Vollebregt aims to transform how we think about the materials and the objects we rely on every day. Within her design process, textile craft and industrial textile techniques collide, resulting in intricate materials that speculate on unconventional and innovative applications.
Rotterdam-based Studio Nicky Vollebregt questions object attachment and investigates emotionally sustainable design, or what Nicky refers to as ‘design to cherish’. Her aim is to not merely to create visually appealing designs but to foster new dialogues.
»“Sustainable design extends beyond circular, responsible, and ethical material use and production. It also encompasses the way we engage with, relate to, and find meaning in objects, encouraging a desire to own, care for, and treasure them.”«
Nicky presents experimental projects like Pollia, HIGHLIGHT, and Uncover, each inviting us to rethink our everyday interactions with the things we use.
Pollia merges manual craftsmanship with machine precision to create woven textiles that are identical in design yet uniquely distinct. Inspired by manual smocking, the mechanically woven Pollia textiles transform from flat fabrics into luminous, sculptural 3D forms through their precise structural design. The project invites us to think about mass-production versus craft and highlights themes like individuality and personalisation.
HIGHLIGHT is a celebration of experiment, craft and a curiosity-driven exploration of weaving. Nicky combines colours and light with materials in ways that feel almost magical, creating pieces that shift and adapt as they interact with their surroundings. Whether it’s the HIGHLIGHT Olegi or any of other works, HIGHLIGHT reflects Nicky’s fascination with the interplay of light, colour, and perspective.
In Uncover, Nicky explores the lifecycle of materials and objects, encouraging us to see beauty in change. By focusing on transformation – how products evolve over time – she challenges the traditional notion of static perfection. Uncover inspires us to care for our possessions, fostering a sense of attachment and responsibility that aligns with the principles of emotional sustainability.
Nicky works on self-initiated research projects and collaborates with researchers and specialists across industries to apply her materials and/or approach. Nicky’s approach is refreshingly holistic and delves into untapped areas where industrial textile techniques, craft and narrative blend into truly distinctive and meaningful designs.
Modularity is not a new concept. For decades, it has shaped architecture, furniture and industrial design. Applying it to soft textiles, however, opens up an entirely new discussion.
Creativity and curiosity have always been our driving force. Our work evolves through prototypes—never finished, always raising new questions about materials, processes, and possibilities.
Both the fashion and textile industry often celebrates creativity. Yet many of the industry’s creative decisions are made long before a designer ever begins designing. Colour being one of them. The thing is, by the time a designer selects yarn, someone else has already determined the available colours, sequences and combinations. Choice exists, but only within boundaries.
“Through hands-on experimentation, I explore the potential of new surfaces and alternative forms of leather, aiming to reconnect human life with the natural world as an interconnected fabric.”
