About British Textile Biennial 2025
This year's Biennial explores invention and innovation in textile production, from indigenous knowledge to space-age technology; from the earliest form of shelter, the tent, to space suits; and from plant-based dyes to the first polymers.
The programme reflects on the textile pioneers of 20th century Lancashire, where companies like Grenfell in Burnley and Terylene in Accrington revolutionised both exploration and everyday life with synthetic materials. But with these innovations came environmental consequences. BTB25 asks how we might now reset our relationship with materials, looking to long-held indigenous knowledge as a guide for the future.
As in previous years, BTB25 presents its exhibitions, installations and performances in former mills and other rarely accessible spaces created by the textile industry across the centuries and major artists are given the opportunity to make new work on a grand scale.
Facilitating knowledge exchange
This year, we are supporting a delegation of textile artists and designers from South East Asia to attend BTB25.
The delegation will focus specifically on the role of sustainable textile practice and indigenous knowledge in shaping the future of the textile industry. Their work and perspectives are central to this exchange. Through shared discussions and a public roundtable event, we hope to build a collective understanding of how traditional practices and ecological thinking can inform meaningful change in global textile systems.
Meet the delegates
Prach Niyomkar
Born in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand, Prach Niyomkar is a designer and indigo artist known for his work in contemporary art, home décor, and handcrafted textiles dyed with natural colours. In 2010, he founded Mann Craft, a brand dedicated to environmentally friendly textiles using natural indigo and seasonal plant-based dyes. He collaborates with local artisans to create products that honour cultural heritage and promote sustainability. At his Man Gardens Crafts Centre, Prach cultivates over 50 species of dye plants for use in production. His seasonal, zero-waste dyeing approach ensures both ecological responsibility and innovation.
Pilan Thaisuang
Pilan Thaisuang is the founder of Bhukram, a handmade textile brand known for its unique hand-embroidered patterns and use of natural materials. The brand was selected to be showcased at COP26 in Edinburgh. Bhukram’s pieces tell stories inspired by the surrounding nature of Pilan’s hometown — a small village in the Phu Phan Mountains of Northeast Thailand. Formerly a historian and archaeologist, Pilan has dedicated the past 11 years to Bhukram, with the primary goals of promoting nature conservation and empowering the local community.
Marcos Kueh
Marcos Kueh is a textile artist from Sarawak, Borneo, whose work reimagines ancestral weaving traditions to explore themes of identity, labour, and heritage. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, with a Bachelor’s in Graphic and Textile Design, Marcos has received notable recognition, including the 2022 Ron Mandos Young Blood Award and the 2023 Dutch Design Awards’ Young Designer of the Year. His works are part of prominent collections such as Museum Voorlinden, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the National Art Gallery Malaysia.
Cheong See Min
Cheong See Min is a Malaysian textile and fibre artist whose practice explores the colonial history of plantations in Malaysia and the social dimensions of material production. Her work reflects on the relationships between people, objects, and environments, often drawing inspiration from everyday observations of how communities inhabit and shape their surroundings. She has exhibited internationally and participated in residencies in Malaysia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Mariton Villanueva
Mariton Villanueva is a fashion designer and natural dye artist from the Philippines, known for using local plants and eco-printing techniques to create thoughtful, one-of-a-kind textiles and clothing. Her work celebrates slow fashion, sustainability, and collaboration with Filipino artisans.
Tags:
- Art Form: Architecture Design and Fashion
- Region: UK