New motifs for panel curtains – design students venture into the world of work

Plauen In order to be able to put the theoretically acquired knowledge into practice, the textile design students of the Faculty of Applied Arts in Snowberg were given the opportunity to design panel curtains with their own motifs. This project was developed as part of the final thesis of the 6th semester. Of course, the students received support: The professors of the Schneeberg Faculty of the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences in Zwickau were at your side in questions of theory. There was practice at Sensuna GmbH, a manufacturer of roller blinds, panel curtains and pleated blinds, and from RolloExpress, the online shop for sun protection products.

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In March the students were able to visit the companies RolloExpress and Sensuna GmbH. They were accompanied by their professors Annerose Schulze and Jörg Steinbach. They were able to get a concrete impression of the production processes and beyond. Michael Knauth, managing director of RolloExpress, guided the students through the production halls. The basic operating procedures were explained and many questions were answered. Cooperation between universities and companies is particularly important to Knauth. He has been accompanying such projects for years, as they give young people an insight into the world of work.

The students have now finished their 6th semester. At the end they presented their projects under the topic “A roller blind rarely comes alone”. Michael Knauth from RolloExpress was therefore able to examine the first results at the beginning of August. During a visit to Schneeberg, the students’ special ideas and feeling for the fabrics and materials made an impression on him. Preparations are underway in both companies to implement these ideas and include them in the range. For RolloExpress, the new sensuna made-to-measure panel curtains would be a useful addition to the standard sliding curtains and roller blinds from LYSEL. The students have a say in what motifs and designs will beautify customers’ windows in the future. Because the focus of the university’s project is not only on artistic implementation, but also on technical and market-strategic issues.