This year, the scholarship was awarded to Mingna Hu for Self-Forming, a project that explores textile as an active and responsive material system. Working with Swedish wool and high-twist yarns, Mingna investigates how energy can be woven into a textile structure, allowing the material to transform and generate form through its own movement once released from the loom.

The work reflects a thoughtful balance between craftsmanship, material innovation, and experimentation—qualities that continue to drive the future of textile design.

Self-Forming was presented as part of Textile Exit 2026, where graduating students from the Swedish School of Textiles explored immersive experiences that blur the boundaries between the real and the imagined. Through advanced craftsmanship, industrial processes, and a deep curiosity for materials, the exhibition showcased new perspectives on the relationship between textiles, technology, and the senses.