Good stuff

Textile Worlds from the Hanseatic Era to the Present Day. Special Exhibition at the European Hansemuseum

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek special exhibition "Good Stuff" at the European Hansemuseum October 7th will run until October 29th, 2023. Dr. Angela Huang , head of the Research Center for the History of the Hanseatic League and the Baltic Region (FGHO), I explored the "Good Stuff" at the Burgkloster. She and Franziska Evers co-curated the exhibition, which certainly doesn't focus solely on the past.

The exhibition spans from the consumer revolution of the Middle Ages to today's textile industry and leads into the future of the textile sector.

Dyeing, spinning, weaving

Dr. Huang is a historian and, as such, a recognized expert on textile production and the distribution of fabrics in the late Middle Ages. She is fascinated by the diverse relationships and impacts of long-distance trade in textiles. A young woman who juggles historical figures, dates, and facts, she presents them with remarkable vividness and clarity. Trade in fabrics and clothing has always connected people, societies, and regions, contributing to the growing prosperity of many. Wool and linen fabrics were produced in a few specialized regions, and many people were involved in their production.

In the Middle Ages, Flanders and England, among other places, were important centers of cloth and fabric production. Hanseatic merchants played a significant role in expanding trade in both the raw materials and finished products necessary for cloth production. Woolen cloth from Leiden was processed and worn throughout Europe. Cloth seals, found in a wide variety of locations, allow us to draw conclusions about the flow of goods. They also served to identify fabrics, their origin, and compliance with production standards, thus preventing fraud. You can learn more about cloth seals in the exhibition.

Alongside the trade in raw materials and textiles, there was also an exchange of ideas, knowledge, and ultimately, fashion trends. Naturally, every woman and man of standing wanted to know the latest fashionable fabrics and designs and to display to their friends and family what they could afford. I have always been fascinated by the social hierarchy of the Middle Ages.

Imagine a time when no one could simply decide for themselves what clothes they wanted to wear. The material, cut, and color of clothing revealed a person's social standing. A merchant's wife dressed completely differently from a craftsman's wife.

She didn't have the same financial means, and frankly, she wasn't allowed to. The dress codes dictated who was permitted to wear which colors, decorations, and jewelry.

In the exhibition "Good Fabric" you can watch videos showing what people looked like in 15th-century clothing – at least as far as we know today. Members of the Hansevolk , who sew their own garments as accurately as possible according to historical models, appeared as the protagonists in front of the camera.

I found one exhibit particularly impressive, which the Archaeological Museum in Gdansk provided for the Lübeck exhibition. It is a top that was once worn by a child. You can still see today that it was green and trimmed with a silk ribbon at the collar, buttons, and sleeves.

Hashtag #whomademyclothes​

The lovingly and meticulously designed exhibition isn't primarily about fashion, yet the theme is always present. After all, we communicate through the clothes we wear, expressing our personality and attitudes. The numerous interactive stations are particularly engaging, allowing you to examine your own purchasing habits. How many white T-shirts do you own, and do you really need them all? Do you know where your clothes come from? What is fashion worth to you? What constitutes a fair price? Take a seat on bales of clothing and explore the fun facts. Scan the QR codes at the points that interest you to learn even more.

Perhaps you'd like to browse through a book or listen to a fairy tale. Have you ever noticed how often clothing plays a role in fairy tales? The Emperor's New Clothes. The Brave Little Tailor. Little Red Riding Hood. Cinderella.

You absolutely mustn't miss the Living Book "Good Fabric" exhibition . It's a real highlight that brings you closer to the journey of fabrics and clothing through countries and regions. You can not only read it, but actively participate in the story of the Hanseatic textile trade, hear voices and music, and watch figures move through the pages.

Give us your fabric!

In the lead-up to the exhibition, the European Hansemuseum (EHM) issued a call for submissions of textile pieces with a special story behind them. More than 90 people responded to this request. Three of the submissions are featured in the exhibition "Good Fabric," including a shirt sewn from flour sacks that arrived at the sender's home after the Second World War as part of a CARE package. Many of the other pieces will be presented on the EHM's blog

Out of sheer necessity, people wore clothes for centuries until they fell apart. Garments were passed down, altered, and sewn back together. Even our grandparents wore their winter coats for many years in a row. They bought pieces of solid quality, preferably in muted colors. Don't you also picture your grandmother's camel hair coat and her so-called transitional jacket?

The Future Lab

The creators of the "Good Fabric" exhibition in Lübeck are truly passionate about offering a diverse range of multimedia experiences so that visitors can gain new insights and, ideally, reconsider their own consumption habits without being preachy. After all, the textile industry is currently the second-largest global polluter.

One hundred billion new garments flood the global market every year. Education is truly needed. Many people want to buy fairly and sustainably produced clothing. At the Future Lab, you can explore various models of tomorrow's production. What will we wear in the future? Smart clothing from 3D printers, produced sustainably. Slow fashion. The Future Lab is a place for discussion and participation. A comprehensive accompanying program with a mix of lectures and workshops invites you to try hand spinning, textile upcycling, or clothing swaps, for example. Everyone has an opinion about clothing.

What does clothing mean to you?