I recently spent a couple of days in Nordhorn in northern Germany visiting Hemmers, a fabric company I haven’t bought from before.
While there I, along with a handful of other fabric shop owners from the UK, was given a tour of the art department and we saw how they print small runs of fabric designs on their digital printer. We were also shown a fabulous archive book where designs dated back to the 1800s.
Another department had a fabric testing facility where specialist machinery tests for fabric wear and tear, such as pilling and also a dye-fast check.
One afternoon I had a couple of hours to spare and so I decided to take myself to the Stadtmuseum instead of loafing in the wonderful Riverside Hotel.
This great little museum describes the rich textile history of the town. During WW2 Germany was unable to source raw cotton and so Nordhorn reinvented itself as a centre of manufacturer of viscose – now I didn’t know that before the trip!
I had a quick rush around the museum and I took lots of pics. What a fabulous resource for German fashion and textile students! There is a dressing-up room, a book with fabric samples from the 1950s and lots of clothing and fashion exhibits and samples on display.
Nino was a famous fashion brand created in Nordhorn and there are lots of examples of the label’s clothing from the 1950s through to the 1970s. Diana Rigg, who played Emma Peel in The Avengers, modeled for the brand and she features heavily in the advertising and display material of the time.
What an exciting visit. I bought plenty of lovely Autumn stock for Fabrix customers to enjoy! So, next you come in be sure to have a look at the beautiful selection from Hemmers.
Jenny