"Design Signals -Woven Secrets" exhibition offers a contemporary perspective on Romania’s textile industry, framing it not just as an economic sector, but as a complex, interconnected system influenced by broader economic trends across Europe and global production networks. It explores how design has the power to challenge conventional production models and highlights bold, visionary approaches to making, producing, and collaborating.
The works presented are the result of collaborations between Romanian designers and experts from various fields—including researchers, engineers, local manufacturers, and textile factories—addressing urgent topics such as textile waste, recycling, upcycling, and gaps in supply chains. These projects show how creativity can help regenerate an industry in need of transformation.
The exhibition is enriched by the stories of former textile factory workers in Timișoara, offering a personal and human insight into the city’s cultural heritage and the lived experiences of those who shaped its textile legacy. These narratives reflect a deep understanding of the resilience and skill that sustained the local industry for decades.
An important component of the exhibition features works developed through the Young Matters program, showcasing contributions from international mentors and students from Timișoara. Together, they build interdisciplinary networks and participate in a wider dialogue around sustainable design and forward-thinking urban futures.
The exhibition is organized by FABER, an independent cultural center founded by Timișoara-based entrepreneurs from the fields of architecture, IT, and the socio-cultural sector. United by their belief in the city’s potential, FABER continues in 2024 its design-focused program centered on the textile industry—not only as a symbol of globalization and automation, but also as an emblem of resilience and invisible labor.
Curator: Martina Muzi
Designers and collaborators: Ami Amalia, Dinu Bodiciu, Cătălin Botean, Alesia Cîdă, Nicoleta-Lavinia Ghimbășan, Andreea Ana-Maria Pleșa & Anamaria Mihaela Vișovan, Maria Gabriela Rada & Maria Dombrov, Alex Todirică, Răzvan Zamfira.
The exhibition "Design Signals -Woven Secrets" is part of the RDW Exhibitions format, presented by Rompetrol and co-produced by the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB.
For over 20 years, Rompetrol has supported education and culture through initiatives that have a real impact on local communities. At Romanian Design Week 2025, the company joins the RDW Exhibitions format, which brings collaboration and the support of local creativity to the forefront.