VELKIN
Velkin develops modular thermal and acoustic insulation panels made from recycled textiles and bio-based binders. Designed as a protective “second skin” for interiors, it combines circular material innovation, local textile waste valorisation, aesthetic quality and open-source documentation to create healthier, quieter and more energy-efficient spaces.
Velkin is a circular material innovation project developing modular thermal and acoustic insulation solutions for interiors. Made from recycled textile fibres and bio-based binders, Velkin transforms non-reusable textile waste into high-value interior applications such as wall panels, acoustic artworks and thermal barriers. Conceived as a protective “second skin” for buildings, it combines performance, tactile quality and aesthetic value to improve comfort while reducing energy consumption.
Led by Le Textile Lab in Lyon, the project builds on the Precious Textile research programme and brings together a multidisciplinary team of artists, designers and architects. Through collaborative residencies, material testing and local partnerships with textile sorting and reuse actors, Velkin explores new recipes, fabrication processes and modular design principles adapted to different spaces and uses.
The project aims to create a replicable, locally rooted value chain, from waste collection and material identification to prototyping, documentation and future production. By combining circular design, open-source knowledge and small-scale distributed manufacturing, Velkin offers a sustainable alternative for energy-efficient interiors while opening new opportunities for textile waste valorisation.
About
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Team biography
The Velkin team brings together six complementary profiles combining textile innovation, material research, circular design, interior architecture and spatial design. Led by Le Textile Lab, the group shares hands-on expertise in recycled fibres, bio-based composites, digital fabrication and sustainable production. This multidisciplinary approach allows Velkin to move from material experimentation to functional, aesthetic and scalable interior solutions.
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Team member list
• Pauline Gamore, Le Textile Lab;
• Capucine Robert, Le Textile Lab & Nalba;
• Surzhana Radnaeva, Traditional Future;
• Dominique Vial, Twist Again;
• Sarah-Laure Baixu;
• Maude Cucinotta. -
Useful links
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Team member bio #1 – Pauline Gamore
Researcher, designer, maker, visionary... Pauline Gamore combines a vivid imagination with a strong desire for practical solutions. Emotional, passion-driven, her investigations cross traditional textile know-how and new technologies to explore and invent new design modes. After 10 years as a freelance creative director, she founded Le Textile Lab in 2019, has trained 25 Fabricademy alumni, and leads the lab's research and European projects such as Precious Textile and Woolshed.
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Team member bio #2 - Capucine Robert
Capucine Robert is a textile designer who blends craftsmanship with sustainable innovation. She has expertise in textile crafts and digital fabrication tools, innovative material experimentation and project development. She navigates between forms of expressions to tell, remember and invent a desirable future. After graduating from Fabricademy in 2022, she earned the Worth Project grant alongside her studio Nalba. Since September 2025, she has worked part-time at Le Textile Lab as Fab Manager and Fabricademy Instructor, serving as Pauline’s right-hand on research projects like Precious Textile and Woolshed.
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Team member bio #3 - Surzhana Radnaeva
Surzhana Radnaeva is artist and materials researcher, passionate about textile challenges, she explores the transformation of waste into paper, cardboard, rigid composites, and flexible materials through sewing, layering, and manipulation. Expertise in biomaterials, papermaking, paper molding, and dyeing. A 2023 Fabricademy alumna, she was awarded the Worth Project grant to develop an open-source Hollander Beater in collaboration with Mekanika. This innovative project transforms textile offcuts into handmade paper, which she then crafts into unique garments.
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Team member bio #4 - Dominique Vial
Trained as a stylist and refined through years of collaboration with fashion brands, Dominique Vial has honed an exquisite sensitivity to detail, craftsmanship, and the nuanced interplay between fabric and form. It was during his Fabricademy training in 2021 at Le Textile Lab that he pioneered research into composite materials derived from used textile fibers. By exploring the intersection of woven and non-woven techniques, Dominique redefines industrial textile waste, transforming it into sustainable composite materials and gives rise to functional objects and lifestyle pieces, seamlessly merging aesthetic elegance with ecological responsibility.
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Team member bio #5 - Sarah-Laure Baixu
As an independent interior architect, Sarah-Laure Baixu designs and carries out bespoke projects from concept to completion. Her expertise covers materials, construction details, and technical coordination, with a keen interest in ecological innovation and materials research.
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Team member bio #6 - Maud Cuccinota
Since 2008, Maud Cuccinota, has cultivated a holistic and creative design approach, seamlessly connecting space, object, and graphic elements. From concept to execution, collaborating closely with local artisans, she transforms ideas into tangible projects. Her cross-disciplinary vision integrates economic, logistical, and competitive challenges to deliver innovative yet pragmatic solutions.
