Our pilot case is called Digital Silk.

The main purpose is the Digitalization of traditional weaving patterns.

That includes finding and collecting many fabrics with different designs and patterns. A very important factor is to also know any available information we can find about the history of the fabric, such as the time and place it was made and who was the weaver.

To transport the fabric design into a digital file, first we need to scan it, in order to record the pattern as well as the weaving code, that later can be used for hand weaving or programming modern looms.

- Our main goals are to make a digital catalogue and trademark the traditional weaving patterns of the Thrace region where Soufli is located, so we can protect them from fading away in the future.

Because we expertise in silk we are planning to re-create the weaving patterns on traditional and contemporary looms using silk yarns.

Since the specialty of the Tsiakiris Silkhouse is digital printing on silk, we could print the whole patterns or some parts of them on silk fabric, that can be used for fashion projects.

Further goals would be organizing exhibitions and events to present our project. Also, the workshops will be a very useful tool to exploit the knowledge we gain through Tracks for crafts experience.

- For us to execute this successfully we need to find partners with experience in textile digitalizing. We already have collected some samples of traditional weaving patterns and now we need skilled help to start the digitalization process.

It is also important to have access to new technologies for the best results possible, such as new generation textile scanners and even applications for recording the weaving codes.

On the artistic part we would like to collaborate with artists and designers from all over the world, to utilize the outcome of the project. For example, the digital files and catalogue can be used for a variety of crafts including accessories, clothing, decorations etc, it might be the whole pattern, parts of it or even combinations to create unique results.