Welcome to the sweatshop | An immersive experience about the hidden reality behind our clothing

How do you make the complex reality behind our clothing tangible? Welcome to the Sweatshop brings together three worlds — education, theater, and fashion — to make the invisible stories in our wardrobe palpable. The project was developed within the Living Lab Circular Textiles Hasselt and evolved from an educational installation into a fully-fledged immersive theater performance.

Phase 1: Educational clothing line

The first phase was launched during International Repair Day: an educational production line in which visitors literally walked through the manufacturing process of a garment. At various workstations, they discovered the successive steps of garment manufacturing and the reality behind the technical choices. By linking physical action to technical insights, a direct and recognizable awareness was created.

Phase 2: Immersive theater experience

In the next phase, the installation was brought to life in an immersive performance. Participants were immersed in a fictional fast-fashion factory, where scenes depicted themes such as unsafe working conditions, exploitation, child labor, gender inequality, and environmental damage. The theatrical form reinforced the impact of the facts: body, rhythm, and emotion became instruments of insight.

Artistic and substantive balance

My role was to carefully interweave artistic expression and technical reality. The performance is accessible, confrontational, and informative, offering a nuanced framework that goes beyond simplistic slogans. The strength of the project lies in the interplay between experience, reflection, and perspective for action.

Bookable for schools, organizations, and events

Welcome to the Sweatshop can be booked as:

• interactive installation

• educational workshop

• immersive theater performance

• lecture + discussion

• tailor-made combinations for education, cultural centers, and organizations

The project is suitable for young people, students, teachers, professionals, and the general public. For schools, the experience can be linked to learning objectives related to citizenship, consumption, globalization, sustainability, or arts education.

→ Interested in a collaboration, a program, or a customized version for your context? Feel free to contact us.