The conference dealt with premodern Europe in a first age of commercialisation (14th to 18th centuries). At this time major changes occurred in European societies: Trade picked up its pace, communication increased and private consumption accelerated – a proto-industry emerged. We aim at connecting the developments in the Hanse era and region to other textile economies.

We wanted to explore the broader impact of textile industries on societies. Current debates about fair work and sustainability in a global economy very much centre around textiles, their production, marketing and trade – this conference wanted to look further back in how textiles influence societies and their relationship to one another. We brought together international researchers for an interdisciplinary conference between economic and social history, archaeology, art history and anthropology.

The conference was part of the COST Action Group ‘EuroWeb – Europe through Textiles’, which aims to research textiles interdisciplinary and intersectional. It was co-organized by Joana Sequeira (Lab2PT, University of Minho, Braga/Portugal). Interwoven Societies took place in Lübeck, where at the same time the exhibition ‘Good Stuff. Textile Worlds from the Hanse Era to the Present’  was on display.

Conference Programme (PDF)   Lectures (YouTube)