Texture

Texture, a museum about the Leie and flax, opened its doors in 2014 in this authentic flax shipping house from 1913. The museum tells the fascinating story of the flax and linen industry in the region, highlighting daring entrepreneurship with its ups and downs. You will discover in Texture that many regional companies have their roots in the flax industry. Furthermore, the very latest applications of flax in various sectors are also surprisingly innovative.

The British Linen Thread Company built this large flax storage facility in 1913, and it was then the most modern and largest flax warehouse with two floors. The Linen Thread Company arranged group purchases for spinning mills in the United Kingdom, which allowed them to significantly reduce the price of flax, much to the chagrin of the local flax farmers – they referred to it as 'the English Syndicate'.

Until shortly after World War II, the building served as a flax shipping house. Afterwards, various companies made use of it.

When it was transformed into a museum building, an additional floor with a golden roof was realized. This is also a reference to the Leie, 'the golden river,' where flax was 'rooted' until 1943. Under the golden roof, Texture presents the most beautiful pieces of the textile collection in the Treasure Room. Texture is highly recommended for anyone interested in fashion or the industrial history of the region.

The museum café Kaffee Damast is an ideal place to have a chat afterwards.

Vl. Toeristisch bezienswaardigheden