Textile heritage research has been turned into open digital platforms, sustainability tools and teaching resources that have stayed active after a pan-European research network concluded. The COST Action EuroWeb — COST: European Cooperation in Science and Technology — brought together archaeologists, conservators, fashion historians and textile artists. A successor grant, HERITEX-HUB, has since extended that work towards makers, designers, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
- Researchers gathered at Pompeii, Italy, to handle and document mineralised textiles, meaning cloth preserved through mineral contact, while Textiles and the Dead sessions investigated what burial cloths reveal about ancient beliefs.
- Other activity covered Asian textiles in European industry between 1200 and 1900, the Sailing Textiles conference on navigation and trade, and training schools on knitting, knitwear, wool and natural dyes.
- A hands-on LAB at the Festival of the New European Bauhaus in Brussels highlighted the network's alignment with sustainability, creativity and inclusivity.
- Long before metal or pottery, textiles were Europe's first great innovation, shaping clothing, trade, identity and communication, a record that the network's programme of events drew on.
WHAT REMAINS: More than 50 peer-reviewed publications and several digital platforms that remain publicly accessible have resulted from the completed network. The COST Action, Europe Through Textiles: Network for an integrated and interdisciplinary Humanities, was led by Agata Ulanowska from the University of Warsaw. The platforms remain active and continue to grow.
- Some of the oldest textiles still carry traces of Tyrian purple, a dye made from Mediterranean sea snails so costly in Roman times that only emperors could afford it.
- The open-access resources are widely used and continue to attract interest from professionals and the general public.
- In medieval Europe the kermes insect gave wool a deep red shade prized by nobility, part of the dye and craft history that the network's open platforms now document.
DIGITAL ACCESS: The Digital Atlas of European Textile Heritage is an interactive repository that already documents thousands of textiles, tools, seals, workshops and archaeological sites across the continent throughout history. A separate terminology platform, Textile and Clothing Terminology Online, compiles rich vocabularies on fabrics and garments in ancient and modern languages. Both resources remain open and accessible to researchers and the public after the Action's conclusion, with the terminology platform also serving craftspeople working across languages and traditions.
- In 2020 average EU textile consumption per person required 400 m² of land, 9 m³ of water, 391 kg of raw materials and carried a carbon footprint of 270 kg.
- Through language the terminology platform highlights how much of the continent's textile past is shared and rooted in centuries of cultural exchange across borders.
- The Action's website and YouTube channel host publications, lectures, training materials and the EuroWeb Training School at Malia video for educational and outreach use beyond academia.
PRACTICAL USE: Practical sustainability resources have been developed from the earlier Action's research base through the COST Innovators Grant HERITEX-HUB, led by Francisco B. Gomes of the University of Lisbon. The grant has connected researchers, designers, entrepreneurs and small businesses, offering factsheets on natural materials and traditional techniques alongside storyboards intended to inspire creative design. Its outputs address both sector practice and the wider policy context for sustainable textiles.
- HERITEX-HUB's toolkit draws on the Digital Atlas of European Textile Heritage alongside factsheets and storyboards to give researchers, designers and businesses access to heritage evidence for practical use.
- The network is developing a matchmaking platform to connect local crafts and modern production chains, promoting sustainability from the ground up.
- Historic and traditional examples can show alternatives at a time when people are growing increasingly aware of the negative impact of how textiles and fashion are consumed.
- By showcasing sustainable practices from the past, heritage research gives today's makers tools to develop greener approaches in a competitive market.
WHAT THEY SAID
Participating in EuroWeb was a great, though occasionally exhausting, experience that has significantly advanced my career. I gained international recognition and met fantastic colleagues with whom I now collaborate. EuroWeb also raised awareness of COST Actions at my university, showing how impactful they can be.
— Agata Ulanowska
Chair of EuroWeb
University of Warsaw
EuroWeb acted as an incubator for projects that address sustainability and heritage preservation directly. HERITEX-HUB draws data, knowledge, and inspiration from textile heritage research for more sustainable textile and fashion futures, bridging academic insight with policy and industry needs.
— Francisco B. Gomes
Chair of HERITEX-HUB
University of Lisbon
