Professor Dr Marina-Elena Wachs from the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology at The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) has been distinguished with the Wilhelm Lorch Prize 2026. The Wilhelm Lorch Foundation honoured her project "Textile Design in XR Learning Spaces", which opens up new paths in the apprenticeship of textile and fashion experts, with the 10,000 euro grant.
The award ceremony took place on 29 April 2026 at the Palmengarten in Frankfurt am Main. The distinction was presented as part of the 67th TextilWirtschaft forum in front of around 500 industry representatives. The Wilhelm Lorch Prize is one of the most highly endowed distinctions in the German textile sector and is supported by companies and personalities from trade, industry and services.
Wachs' project centres on the combination of skilled textile knowledge and digital technologies. Students will design textile products in virtual and augmented environments to develop sustainable design solutions. "To date, VR glasses have primarily been used in the industry as a communication and evaluation tool. The funding enables us to use XR technologies specifically in teaching education and to open up new forms of experimental and sustainable design to students," explains Wachs.
There is a particular focus on practical learning methods: VR glasses, mixed reality tools and AI-supported applications are used in smaller groups to promote experience-based design. The project also offers the opportunity to work closely with industry partners and integrate realistic case studies into everyday teaching.
Marina-Elena Wachs is also active as an industrial designer and develops sustainable material solutions for a wide range of applications. "Without the close interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues, students and industry partners, these innovations would not be possible," she emphasises. She is particularly grateful for the support she has received for her new project "Cross Design Engineering in VR and AR", which is being implemented together with Professor Dr Sue Rossano-Rivero and Dr Lennart Hofeditz from the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics at HSNR. AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) are technologies that integrate digital content into the physical world or create completely virtual environments. While AR (augmented reality) adds digital elements to reality using a camera, VR (virtual reality) isolates the user in order to offer a fully simulated experience.
In addition to the technological perspective, Wachs, as a master craftsperson in tailoring, is also committed to preserving the traditional textile trade. Her aim is to promote the balance between skilled trades, sustainable design and modern digital tools. "The funding from the Wilhelm Lorch Foundation is a great opportunity to impart these future skills in a targeted manner and prepare students for the challenges of the creative industries," says Wachs.
