RAU Textiles Research Facility

The Textiles Research Facility provides access to tools and technologies that support textile-based research at AUT. As part of the RAU Textiles Research Centre in the School of Art & Design, the facility is designed to support practice-based research ranging from fibre explorations through to 3-dimensional digital fabrications.

Research

RAU research is informed by themes of tuakiritanga (identity), rau whakairo (composites), tikanga toi (methodology), and whakawhitinga (intersections with digital and interactive systems). Collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange are central to working with RAU’s team of academics, researchers and technical specialists.

The facility includes:

The RAU Textiles Research Facility holds a range of equipment from hand tools for working with fibre to digital technologies for advanced textile fabrication. Key fabrication methods include knitting, felting, spinning, weaving and tufting, and the materials we work with range from locally produced natural fibres to conductive yarns. Specialist technologies include Shima Seiki digital knitting machines, a HILO spinning machine, digital embroidery and a digital felt loom.

Work with RAU

We welcome enquiries from postgraduate students, industry partners and researchers from across Aotearoa and internationally.