Amy Kerr investigated methods for reducing the environmental impact of denim production. Her work earned her the Saxion Talent Award for Best Master's Thesis. The historic setting of Deventer's Lebuinus Church, where she received the award, made the occasion feel almost surreal. “It was my first time visiting the church. It’s such a beautiful place,” she recalls. “My thesis took a great deal of time and effort, so I felt truly honoured to receive this recognition for my work.”
Winning her Saxion Talent Award coincided with the Opening of the 2026-2027 Academic Year. Amy had little time to celebrate, as she had to attend an intake appointment for Dutch lessons immediately after the award ceremony. This says something about her determination, a quality that is just as evident in her passion for textiles.
Her fascination for textiles must have originated somewhere in her childhood. She grew up in a creative environment, with an architect father and a mother who loved making things. “In high school, I already knew that I wanted to embark on a creative career. I began my studies at an art academy. Later, I fell in love with textiles. From that moment on, I spent countless hours at the loom.”
...What comes off the loom is already 80 to 90% complete. You can also integrate zero waste strategies to reduce production waste.
Innovative textile development
In the Netherlands, Amy found the perfect opportunity to further develop her expertise in textiles. She enrolled in Saxion's Master's programme in Innovative Textile Development in 2023. The study programme was a real eye-opener, she says, particularly in revealing the remarkable versatility of textiles. She learned about a wide range of applications, from healthcare to aerospace, as well as the sustainability challenges facing the textile industry.
These are precisely the challenges she addressed in her master's thesis, which focuses on denim production, a process she examined step by step. What exactly is meant by ‘advanced multilayer weaving’? Amy: “The great thing about weaving is that you can do it in several layers. Technically, you still have a flat fabric, but the layers you make can be 'opened' again at a later time, allowing you to create a certain clothing shape and patterns. It is similar to seamless knitting but translated to the loom.”
Advanced multilayer weaving can reduce the number of steps required to manufacture denim garments. Rather than weaving a piece of fabric and later cutting and sewing it into a garment, this technique takes the final design into account right from the start. The desired garment can be designed on the basis of a pattern. “The pattern is subsequently incorporated into the fabric structure. What comes off the loom is already 80 to 90% complete. You can also integrate zero waste strategies to reduce production waste.”
Lighter weaving, similar quality
Usually, the threads that run along the length during the weaving of denim – better known as 'warp threads' – are often dyed with indigo beforehand. Amy did this differently. She started with undyed cotton warp threads and used recycled post-consumer denim as the weft, the yarn that is woven perpendicular to the warp threads during the weaving process. This allowed her to create the desired denim colour without dyeing, while also giving recycled fibres a second life. In addition, Amy managed to increase the recycled content without any loss of quality.
These sustainable results ultimately found their way into her award-winning thesis. “I received three types of denim from three different manufacturers in Turkey. For my thesis, I extensively tested the materials in Saxion’s lab. I also tested the denim I produced myself. The denim I produced was lighter and contained a higher percentage of recycled material. Yet its quality matched that of the samples I received from companies, even though their denim was heavier. This approach could help tackle the waste crisis facing the textile industry.”
From left to right: denim samples with a Woven Fading, Stone Washing and Whiskering Effect. Photograph: Amy Kerr.
Tangible results, enthusiastic reactions
Amy’s thesis focused mainly on the production process, rather than on creating aesthetically beautiful denim garments. Nevertheless, as a proof of concept, she produced several pairs of jeans during her research. To create the various woven effects, she was able to draw on the technology and expertise of Enschede Textielstad and EE Labels. This provided concrete, tangible results.
What was it like to finally hold a material you had created yourself? “I really liked seeing everything come to life... But I am also my harshest critic. That meant I was constantly refining my work, and even now there's still plenty more to be done. I've already had the opportunity to showcase the materials at Kingpins Amsterdam, one of the leading denim trade shows. I received very positive feedback from both the industry and denim experts. That was a significant moment for me personally because I think the industry is still quite traditional. It gives me hope to see that there is genuine enthusiasm for a different approach to denim production.”
What's next?
Amy paints an inspiring picture of the future. The production methods in her thesis may bring the establishment of small-scale, local denim companies a step closer - even in the Netherlands, where the costs of labour are relatively high. Amy herself will remain closely involved in the next steps inspired by her thesis for the foreseeable future. Most recently, for example, she and several colleagues submitted a RAAK SME funding proposal entitled Dutch Circular Denim. “Our goal is to connect different SMEs in the Netherlands to test the technical and economic feasibility of this design solution.”
Besides being a researcher, does Amy also have an entrepreneurial side? “Yes, entrepreneurship has always interested me. I had my own textile design studio in Ireland before moving here. At the moment, I’m working to get something similar off the ground here in the Netherlands. Who knows? The denim project may even evolve into a business one day. Of course, I don't know exactly where it will lead, but I do find the entrepreneurial aspect very exciting.”
Photography (award ceremony): Jason Buitenhuis
Further information
The full title of Amy's master's thesis is: Transforming denim through advanced multi-layered weaving, embedding post-treatment production steps during weaving and incorporating recycled content to reduce the environmental impact. Would you like to know more or are you curious about collaboration opportunities? For more information, visit the Sustainable & Functional Textiles research group page.
