The idea that patterns and instructions could be transferred through codes comes directly from weaving.
At first sight, textiles and AI may seem like two completely different worlds. Yet textiles are the silent mother of artificial intelligence. “C’est intéressant de rappeler le lien historique entre le travail du tissu et l’informatique”, writes Cécile Babiole, technology and data artist, on her blog, pointing to the historical link between computer science and textiles.
Also in the Paris exhibition Le Monde Selon l’IA, which explores the history of AI and LLMs (large language models such as ChatGPT-3), references are made to Ada Lovelace, Charles Babbage – and, less widely known but no less important – to Jacquard weaving.
From Loom to Computer
To sketch the origins of AI we must go back to 800 AD, to the Arab scholar Al-Khwârizmî – whose name gave us the word ‘algorithm’. He is considered the father of algebra because he laid the foundations for solving equations through simplification, combining broken parts, or adding negative terms to both sides.
In the following centuries, the first mechanical calculators appeared, but true automation only came in the 19th century with the invention of the Jacquard loom. This loom used punched cards (photo 1 – Weverijmuseum Gelderop) to mechanically weave complex patterns. The system inspired pioneers such as Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace to develop the first concepts of the programmable computer. The very idea that patterns and instructions could be transferred through codes comes directly from weaving. Photo 2 shows a Telex that used the technology to send text through coded punch strips.
“Je regrette sincèrement que l’influence du tissage sur la technologie informatique ait été partiellement effacée, dans le sens où les fils sont des ordinateurs ancestraux, qui existaient bien avant l’apparition de l’électricité.”, says Diane Cescutti. In other words: the threads and structures of looms form the primal source of today’s digital systems.
From Punch Cards to AI
In a sense, algorithms are nothing more than digital fabrics: structures that organize, connect, and transform information. The weaving of threads is a metaphor for the weaving of data. This also explains why AI and machine learning have found such fruitful applications in the textile sector itself.
Digital Twins and Innovative Yarns
Today, AI plays a crucial role in the development of new textile materials and yarns. Through Digital Twins—digital replicas that simulate a fabric or product—designers and engineers can experiment with patterns, structures, and properties without wasting physical material. This accelerates innovation and makes it possible to create sustainable and highly performant fabrics.
Examples include smart fabrics that respond to heat or movement, or new fiber composites that are lighter, stronger, and more durable. Thanks to simulations and AI-driven analyses, these innovations can be realized faster and more efficiently.
How Digital Twins Optimize Textile production
Data from weaving machines, knitting processes, or material tests is collected through sensors and simulation tools. This data feeds into the digital model, which can predict how a fabric will behave—its stretch, durability, drape, or reaction to heat and moisture.
Real-World Examples from the Industry:
- Tonickx creates virtual fabrics for digital prototyping and consumer try-ons before a design goes into production. The company was nominated in 2021 for the Textirama Foundation Award. Digital Twins are not new, but have advanced rapidly in recent years thanks to the explosive increase in computing power and data processing, making AI model training faster and more effective.
- Vandewiele, based in Belgium, develops and manufactures high-tech weaving and textile machines, primarily for carpets and technical textiles. This company is a frontrunner in data and AI.
- Twinbru, a Belgian textile company, creates high-quality digital twins of textiles, enabling designers and brands to realistically visualize fabrics in 3D before physical production. NVIDA is one of their partners. NVIDIA develops powerful graphics and AI processors that drive applications such as gaming, data centers, and artificial intelligence, making it a key player in global digital and technological progress.
- Lectra, originally a French company, provides AI-driven software that optimizes fabric cutting processes and patterns for automotive, fashion, and furniture industries, drastically reducing waste,…
The story of AI and textiles shows that craft and technology are not separate, but rather strengthen one another. Where once the threads of the loom created the first logical patterns, AI today weaves the networks of our future. Textiles remain, more than ever, a source of inspiration and innovation.
