Interactive Museum in Larochette Brings Past & Present of Textile Industry to Life

The Textile Museum (Textil Musée) in Larochette is set to open its doors to the public from Monday 10 March 2025.

Ahead of the public opening, a press conference and the official inauguration took place on the afternoon of Friday 7 March 2025, offering a sneak peek at the museum, which serves as an interactive journey from the region’s industrial past to contemporary challenges facing the textile/fashion industry.

Attendees at the museum’s inauguration included Luxembourg’s Minister Delegate for Tourism and Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, the Mayor of Larochette, Mirko Martellini, the President of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg, Jean-Louis Zeien, Georges Ginter, owner of the industrial machines previously used in textile production in Larochette - the Ginter family played a key role in the industry in days gone by, honorary mayor Pierre Wies, the “Amis du Vieux Larochette” non-profit organisation, and members of the College of Aldermen and Municipal Council of Larochette, among others.

The textile museum is the result of a collaboration between the municipality of Larochette and the NGO Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg, with the support of the General Directorate for Tourism of the Ministry of the Economy and the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of the "Rethink Your Clothes" campaign.

The museum sheds light on the industrial history of Larochette - once at the very heart of Luxembourg’s textile industry - and the region, while raising awareness of contemporary challenges related to textile production and consumption.

Mayor Martellini noted how the museum served to show people how clothes are - and were - made, offering a “fashion dialogue between past and future, tradition and innovation”. He recalled the conditions in which some workers currently produce clothes, in factories far away where they earn very little. The mayor said collective effort was important in shifting away from fast fashion to fairtrade fashion.

Mr Ginter then looked at how Larochette became a historic textile hub. The locals (often poor) began making clothes at home. In the 1340s, John the Blind (Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia at the time) allowed weaving families in Larochette to use four looms instead of the one machine per weaver permitted elsewhere. Mr Ginter spoke of the growth of the industry which thrived particularly in the late 1800s under the German Customs Union (Zollverein). Only three factories survived later wars but they ultimately closed their doors in the late 1900s. Larochette’s textile industry had come to an end after more than 640 years.

Mr Ginter also spoke of the history behind the museum, which started off small, as an exhibition of old textile machines, installed in the 1980s and viewable through the windows of the annexe of the former “Jhangli” train station. In 2021, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg and the municipality of Larochette signed an agreement aimed at setting up a permanent exhibition on textiles, past and present, within the framework of the “Rethink Your Clothes” campaign. Originally planned to open in 2022, the museum will finally open its doors to the public next week.

Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg President Jean-Louis Zeien stressed that “clothes make people [the man], but people also make clothes”. He warned of the dangers of fast fashion and how the industry today must produce ever faster and ever cheaper, often to the detriment of workers. With this museum, the goal is to promote the region’s traditions and industrial heritage but also look towards the future. He stressed the need for fair trade and fair fashion. Mr Zeien also noted the educational aspect of the museum (for schoolchildren).

Luxembourg’s Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, spoke about the political dimension of the project. He said the government supported it because this is part of the Luxembourgish identity, culture and industrial heritage. He added that the government was also looking to promote new economic activity (jobs) as well as tourism (linked to cultural heritage) and sustainability. He thanked the current and former mayors of Larochette and other stakeholders involved in making this project a realty.

The museum is split into two complementary spaces. The first dives into local textile history, looking at the central role of Larochette in the development of Luxembourg’s textile industry. Restored historic machines, traditional production techniques and historical stories serve to illustrate the importance of the sector in the region. The second space focuses on contemporary fashion issues, shedding light on the consequences of fast fashion, from the exploitation of workers to the social and environmental impact. It also presents alternatives centred around fair trade, which guarantees the best working conditions and a more ethical model, and sustainability.

During a guided visit of this second space, visitors (including Chronicle.lu) could explore the awareness-raising exhibition featuring T-shirts (each one with a fact about the negative side of fast fashion) and other items in one room, and fair, sustainable alternatives in another. Touchscreens and multilingual quizzes add to the interactive and educational nature of this exhibition.

The Textile Museum in Larochette will be open to the public from Monday 10 March 2025. Entry is free; access via the Syndicat d'Initiative et de Tourisme de Larochette, located at 25 Chemin J.A. Zinnen, L-7626 Larochette.

JCA