Summer Symposium Meets Symcraft: Field Trip to Four Textile Companies in the Mühlviertel Region
The Mühlviertel region has a textile tradition dating back centuries. Despite profound structural changes, companies have survived to this day that combine traditional knowledge with modern manufacturing, innovative applications, and sustainable practices.
On July 20, 2026, a field trip was organized to four textile factories in the region. Participants gained firsthand insights into various production processes, machinery, and materials—ranging from linen and jacquard fabrics to cords and ropes, as well as fire hoses and technical safety textiles.
Four different textile companies
At Schernberger Seiltechnik in Putzleinsdorf, the craft of rope-making has been combined with modern braiding and plastic extrusion since 1790. The family-owned company manufactures cords, ropes, and technical braids for a wide range of applications.
Luxury Weaving in Oepping specializes in high-quality jacquard fabrics. The company creates custom-made textiles from select natural fibers such as linen, wool, cashmere, and silk.
The Vieböck Linen Mill in Helfenberg has been weaving since 1832. The company manufactures linen and cotton fabrics and transforms them into various home textiles in its own sewing workshop.
A. Haberkorn in Freistadt has been manufacturing technical textiles since 1919, including fire hoses, tubular fabrics, ropes, and tapes, as well as personal protective equipment.
The field trip was particularly interesting for the SYMCRAFT project, as some of the companies visited are involved in collaborations that emerged as part of the project. The starting point for this was the first SYMCRAFT networking event, which took place on March 14, 2025, at the Textile Center in Haslach. It brought together textile companies with artists and craftspeople to initiate new forms of collaboration. Among other things, the event focused on the question of how scrap materials from textile production can be used for new products and applications.
Some of the businesses visited provide materials such as selvedges, yarn scraps, or fabric remnants for this purpose. In the resulting collaborations, these materials are reimagined and reworked together with artists and craftspeople.
Understanding Production, Deepening Collaborations
The plant visits provided a firsthand look at the origin, production, and properties of the various materials. This knowledge is also valuable for the collaborations that have emerged through SYMCRAFT: A better understanding of production processes and materials makes it possible to develop new ways to reuse them.
The field trip showcased the diversity of textile production in the Mühlviertel region and, at the same time, highlighted the potential for collaboration between industry, art, and crafts. This is precisely where SYMCRAFT comes in—with the goal of exchanging knowledge, facilitating new collaborations, and providing impetus for a regional circular economy.