weaving · france
Hanako Stubbe
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.
I studied textile design at two national schools in Paris: ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres and ENSCI - Les Ateliers. These schools offered complementary approaches, blending hands-on sensory experimentation with deep technical learning. They also worked closely with textile industries and companies, giving me practical insight into the field.
My discovery of handweaving at Olivier de Serres was a true revelation. I was captivated by the endless variety of techniques and the possibilities they offer. This knowledge allows me to create a wide range of textiles using diverse materials.
In 2021, I founded my own artisanal handweaving studio. I focus on making handmade, exclusive, and custom wall pieces and weavings designed specifically for interior spaces. I collaborate with designers, artisans, fabric editors, and interior architects to bring these creations to life.
My work is delicate, meticulous, and sensory. I explore the structure of fabric, the play of colors, and the unique qualities of different materials. I am especially careful in selecting raw materials, prioritizing those that are French-made, ethical, and sustainable.
What was the early motivation to express your creativity through weaving?
I discovered handweaving in my first year of BTS Textile Design in 2011, and from that moment on, it never left me. Throughout my studies, weaving always held a special place in my projects—like a thread running quietly but consistently through everything I created.
I was drawn to handweaving by a deep curiosity: a need to understand how the textiles that surround us—and the clothes we wear—come into being. Even as a child, I would constantly ask, “How was this made?” That question has stayed with me and continues to guide my work.
Early on, I felt the need to go further, to experiment beyond the classroom. In my second year of studies—out of eight!—I invested in my own loom. It’s the same loom I still use today in my studio. Looking back, I think I already sensed that weaving and I were the beginning of a long and meaningful journey.
In your work, you explore the architecture of fabric, the interaction of colours, and the material properties. Could you walk us through your process of creating your pieces while incorporating these concepts?
What truly excites me is exploring the architecture of fabric. I am fascinated by how a technique, a weave, or a material can give rise to textiles with such varied properties and possibilities. Very often, it is the raw material that leads the way. Its intrinsic qualities guide my choices of weave and pattern. Each fiber has its own character, and I try to listen closely. Color also plays a central role. It speaks directly to our emotions. While I often work with natural tones, I cannot imagine creating without color. It brings energy and emotion to the structure.
I primarily use natural French materials such as linen and wool. This is a conscious and necessary choice for me. I am committed to working with transparency and care. I do not feel aligned with materials that travel across the world through unclear or opaque supply chains. I need to know where each material comes from, how it is made, and who is involved in the process.
That said, I sometimes use non-French materials, but only when I can trace their origin and production clearly. Every material I choose carries a story. I remember discovering washi paper in Japan and using it in my lighting designs. Its translucent beauty and plant-like fibers illuminated by light stood in poetic contrast to the geometry of my weavings. I never use materials if I do not know their story. For me, respecting nature and human dignity is essential and non-negotiable.
I also believe in celebrating the artisans and small spinning mills I work with. Their skills and dedication deserve to be recognized and valued.
In my work, I often reflect on the transmission of craftsmanship. Weaving is a deeply sensory and emotional act, but it also carries an educational dimension. It connects us across cultures and across time. A textile is made of many threads crossing paths, each holding its own shape and tension. Together, they form something whole.
Through the forms and patterns in my pieces, I try to reveal this interconnectedness. By showing the warp and the weft up close, I hope to honor the beauty and complexity of weaving and the links it weaves between people, places, and generations.
We're aware that collaboration plays a significant role in your practice. Could you discuss the importance of these partnerships to you and how they contribute to the collective support and development within your creative community?
Collaboration is at the heart of my practice. It opens doors to new perspectives and unfamiliar terrain, offering challenges that are both creative and deeply human. But above all, it brings a richness of exchange that continuously nourishes and expands my work.
When I partner with other creators or professionals, we enter a shared space where ideas, techniques, and visions intersect. These moments of dialogue and experimentation allow us to push the boundaries of our own practices. We learn from one another, refine our approaches, and create work that could not exist in isolation. For me, collaboration is not simply a method – it is a way of deepening my craft and staying open to transformation.
When it comes to the tactile aspect of your work and its connection with your body, how does the hands-on nature impact your overall happiness and well-being?
Weaving is both meditative and methodical, a practice that engages the senses as much as the intellect. It begins in the mind and unfolds through the body, each stage offering its own rhythm, its own focus. This duality is what fascinates me most.
There’s a quiet precision behind the craft, a structure grounded in logic and mathematics. Before the first thread is woven, there’s a careful phase of research: selecting materials, drafting technical diagrams, exploring weaves, calculating thread density. I find deep joy in this preparatory work.
But weaving is also profoundly physical. From preparing the warp on the frame to setting it on the loom and watching the piece emerge thread by thread — it becomes a kind of choreography. A ritual. It’s in these repetitive gestures that I find calm, presence, and a sense of inner balance.
Where do you think lies the biggest potential to preserve important local crafts in the contemporary context?
In the face of the ecological crisis, rethinking how we produce and consume has become urgent. The textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world, a fact we can no longer afford to overlook. Creating responsibly means working with ecological awareness at the core of our practice.
Turning to what already exists, repurposing materials, and prioritizing local resources not only reduces our footprint but also supports the revival of artisanal industries. These choices help bring visibility to local crafts and invite the public to engage more consciously with the objects that surround them.
Today, we are witnessing a renewed interest in traditional practices. Many designers are embracing artisanal methods and weaving them into contemporary design. It is a promising shift.
Craft carries the memory of generations. It is a living knowledge passed down through time. By nurturing this heritage and inviting it into today’s creative landscape, we can keep it alive, not as nostalgia but as a relevant and vital part of our future. Supporting makers, honoring the handmade, and fostering meaningful collaborations between tradition and innovation is where the true potential lies.
How do you envision your work evolving in the coming years, particularly in response to new developments in sustainable design and the interior design industry?
In the years ahead, I plan to expand my collaborative work with designer-artisans and interior architects who share a deep commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship. These partnerships offer a way to create pieces that bring together traditional handweaving techniques and contemporary design sensibilities. They open space for meaningful dialogue, encouraging experimentation with eco-conscious materials and methods that align with thoughtful design practices.
Beyond creation, I am equally drawn to sharing knowledge. I intend to host workshops that invite a wider audience into the world of handweaving. These gatherings will offer a chance to understand the time, care, and intention behind each handmade textile. For those who already weave, I will develop advanced sessions that allow for further technical exploration and artistic growth.
Education also plays a central role in my vision. I believe it is essential to introduce younger generations to the value of manual trades. By engaging with schools and educational institutions, I hope to spark curiosity and encourage a renewed interest in craftsmanship as a fulfilling and forward-looking path. Through these efforts, I aim to help weave a future where traditional knowledge and sustainable design walk hand in hand.
What current projects excite you right now?
I am currently developing a series of lighting fixtures, a project that began a few months ago through a collaboration with ceramist Camille Romagnani. Together, we created a table lamp, which inspired me to expand the collection. Since then, I have designed three wall sconces and I am now working on a ceiling light and a lampshade for a floor lamp.
As both a handweaver and textile designer, I approach each project from start to finish, considering not only the materials but also how they will be used. I take great pleasure in shaping textiles and giving them a tangible function.
My lighting fixtures are made with Japanese washi paper and linen. I discovered washi paper during a trip to Japan and found it to be the perfect material for this work. Its delicate appearance and lightness are balanced and strengthened by other materials and threads. In my weavings, linen threads are carefully interlaced on the loom to give each piece its true strength and presence.
Where and how can people engage more with your work?
Photos [1 ] by Rémi Ryterband, and the rest by Hanako.
