HOEGSKOLAN I BORAS

Their core work

The University of Borås is a Swedish university with a distinctive strength in smart textiles, wearable technology, and textile-based innovation — from fashion manufacturing to electroactive fabrics and haptic garments. They combine design research with digital fabrication and material science, bridging the gap between artistic practice, textile engineering, and assistive technology. Their work extends into care sciences (dignified eldercare systems), forest management informatics, and knowledge organization, reflecting a university that connects applied research to real societal needs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), the University of Borås focused on regional innovation systems, researcher mobility, intellectual property research, and the foundations of their textile-design nexus through ArcInTex ETN and fashion manufacturing projects. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward applied smart textiles (electroactive fabrics, haptic wearables), dignified eldercare systems, and environmental informatics. The trajectory shows a university moving from broad academic capacity-building toward tangible, human-centred technology applications — especially where textiles meet health and wellbeing.

Borås is converging its textile expertise with health/assistive technology and environmental sensing — expect future work at the intersection of functional fabrics, eldercare, and sustainability.

How they like to work

Borås primarily participates as a partner (9 of 12 projects) but has coordinated two significant projects — both in their textile-design core (ArcInTex ETN, SUITCEYES). With 145 unique partners across 28 countries, they are a well-connected node with broad European reach rather than a closed network. Their consortium profile suggests a reliable specialist partner that can lead when the topic sits squarely in their textile-design-assistive technology domain.

145 unique consortium partners across 28 countries indicate a genuinely pan-European network. Their Västra Götaland regional base and Scandinavian ties are complemented by participation in large, geographically diverse consortia like SILVANUS and WEAFING.

What sets them apart

What sets Borås apart is the rare combination of textile engineering, design research, and assistive/care technology under one roof. Few European universities can move seamlessly from electroactive polymer fabrics to dignity-in-care research to artistic practice. For any consortium needing a partner that bridges material science, human-centred design, and social innovation — particularly around wearable or textile-based solutions — Borås fills a niche that larger technical universities typically cannot.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUITCEYES
  Coordinated by Borås with EUR 748K funding, this project developed smart tactile wearables for deafblind people — a perfect showcase of their textile-meets-assistive-tech identity.
• WEAFING
  Their largest single grant (EUR 943K), developing wearable electroactive fabrics with haptic feedback — the most technically ambitious textile project in their portfolio.
• ArcInTex ETN
  An MSCA training network coordinated by Borås that established their reputation at the intersection of architecture, interaction design, and textiles.