Selvedge magazine
View the article online and subscribe to Selvedge magazine here: Thread Lightly: Contemporary Textiles at Malimbus Studio
JULY 3, 2025
Lauren Meta Martin
Online Editor
Malimbus Studio is a space where contemporary textile art meets timeless craftsmanship. Founded in Barcelona by Gabriela Malimbus, who studied sculpture at the Massana School, the studio approaches textiles as a transformative force able to shape space, evoke emotion, and invite reflection.
Inspired by the intricate nest-weaving of the African Malimbus bird, the studio’s name reflects its ethos: vibrant, meticulous, and rooted in nature. Each piece is handcrafted using natural, sustainable materials and shaped through a slow, deliberate process that celebrates the tactile rhythm of braiding, knotting, stitching, and weaving. No two works are exactly alike; whether a one-off wall piece germinating its own tiny eco-system, or a small, carefully hand-tied edition, each carries the imprint of time, hand, and intention.
Valva Tapestry (detail). Plumb cotton rope, mussel shells, black paper threads. Gabriela Malimbus.
Malimbus creations blur the line between art and object. With a deep respect for the quiet power of textiles, the studio designs pieces that transform atmosphere as much as aesthetic – tactile compositions that bring emotional depth and spatial harmony. They are made not only with materials in mind, but with the people who live alongside them. Every thread is considered, every technique reimagined through a contemporary lens.
The studio’s collaborative spirit also extends beyond its own walls. Working closely with interior designers, architects, and curators, Malimbus engages in cultural and social projects where art becomes a shared language and an expression of care, community, and connection.
We took five minutes with Gabriela Malimbus to hear more about her work, inspirations, and studio practice.
Portrait of Gabriela Malimbus.
Gabriela, what is your first memory of a textile?
The sensation of touch. There isn’t a specific image I can point to as my first memory. Textiles envelop us from the very beginning — as we emerge from the womb, we are already surrounded by cloth and fibre.
When I close my eyes and search through memory, it is touch that rises as one of the earliest forms of awareness. The feel of felt, the softness of cotton, the warmth of wool, the delicacy of silk, the roughness of linen, the strangeness of synthetic fibres. There is also visual wonder: the sheen of satin, the depth of velvet, the intricacy of embroidery, the joy of prints. And the weight — that silent language of tablecloths, bedspreads, towels.
These are memories rooted in the domestic, the intimate. In my maternal household, dresses were handmade; sewing was a living, daily practice: mending, repairing, transforming.
In my artisanal memory, ropes, threads, and fibres take on a life of their own. I have often — and with pleasure — worked with ropes of cotton, linen, hemp, and paper in the making of tapestries and embroidery. Each fibre is a line, each knot a gesture, each texture a trace of time.
Cloud tapestry (detail). Ecru cotton ropes of different thicknesses, gauze and fibre craft paper. GabrielaMalimbus.
Can you put into words what you love about textiles?
I love everything related to handcrafted textiles. I despise anything associated with the fast fashion industry that pollutes, destroys, and exploits with poor-quality pieces.
If the textiles in our homes could speak, what would they say? What images of past events or situations would they remember? They likely hold memories of countless encounters, people, and objects. Textiles are representations of the status and value of family life, especially in domestic use.
I love textile creation as a form of continuity. The language of fabric goes beyond the act of making – it carries a narrative about its purpose, whether functional, decorative, artistic, or ritualistic. Take, for example, Boro, the Japanese sewing technique that began among the lower classes and evolved into a life philosophy. Or Bogolán (mud cloth) from Mali, which holds deep cultural significance alongside its striking aesthetic. Consider the traditional Kantha embroidery of Bangladesh, where patching and stitching techniques create textures of remarkable beauty and meaning. And the back strap loom, native to the Americas, whose diverse designs embody a powerful artistic tradition passed down through generations.
Arisca tapestry (detail). Ipe wood, ecru recycled cotton ropes of different tone and thickness, rattan fibre. Gabriela Malimbus.
Where is your most inspiring space or place to create?
At the moment, I work in my home/studio. It’s a space that brings together various materials and books. My studio gets plenty of light, and from the window, I can see the green of the mountain and the colours of the sky, despite living in the heart of the city!
An inspiring space is spacious, with high ceilings and abundant natural light. A refuge in nature, where you can hear the birds singing and observe the continuous changes of the sky: clouds, rain, sunrises, and sunsets.
The ideal place also vibrates with the presence of other craftspeople and artists. A space for exchange, experimentation with fibres and techniques, and, of course, for sharing the works with collectors and an audience touched by textile beauty.
Do you know a space like this? With good light, good energy, and, if it’s not too much to ask, good coffee? Call me before I get tangled up in the strings again!
Outside of that refuge, it is crucial that peace prevails. We are living in a dramatic historical moment, where ancient cultures and traditions are being wiped out by military and economic interests. In Palestine, for example, an ancient embroidery tradition has disappeared. Since the Nakba of 1948, violently imposed by western colonies, the weavers from Mejdel moved to Gaza. Other important textile centres were Safad, Nazareth, Ramallah, Beit Jala, Bethlehem, and Hebron. Today, all of these places are under siege and suffering from a process of apartheid, occupation, land theft and genocide.
Textile creation requires peace.
Melifera cloth (detail). Cotton kitchen towel, DMC embroidery threads. Gabriela Malimbus.
What has inspired you recently?
Lately, I’ve been finding inspiration in biology. My initial training was in the social sciences, so the natural sciences remain a less familiar territory for me – one that I find profoundly fascinating. I’m often struck by the similarities between living organisms and social dynamics. For example, the cells, tissues and organs that make up the immune system have their counterparts in the social groups that defend human rights. Just as immune cells detect and neutralise threats, these organisations identify and confront sociopaths and other “pathogens” that endanger the fabric of the welfare state.
Astrology is another source of inspiration – it’s a discipline that weaves together many of my interests: symbolism, psychology, narrative, and astronomy. I like to think that the position of the stars and planets doesn’t dictate our paths, but rather accompanies them, resonates with them, engages in quiet conversation with our inner processes. At times, I feel as though the stars conspire gently, suggesting subtle directions rather than imposing rigid routes.
My creative process usually begins with a single idea – perhaps a social issue, a photograph, or a phrase that lingers in my mind like a mantra. From there, the material begins to take on a life of its own. The original idea evolves as it comes into contact with the physical: a knot is not the same when tied in a 9mm linen rope as it is in a 4 mm hemp one. Repeating that gesture – the same knot – conveys a different energy if made with a white braided cotton rope versus a black twisted one. Each material choice has its own voice, its own symbolic and physical resonance, and that, in turn, redefines the work. I’m drawn to that dialogue between the conceptual and the material, between the invisible and the tangible.
White frequency tapestry, white cotton ropes. Gabriela Malimbus.
What is your most cherished textile, and why?
The materials I value most are linen and cotton, especially when crafted by hand. They are natural fibres with a long history of use, derived from plants, and require time, knowledge, and care to be transformed into fabric. That connection to the land and to traditional crafts is something I find essential.
I’m interested in how these materials age, how they breathe, how they adapt to everyday use without losing their value. Linen, for example, has a firm, fresh texture; cotton is versatile, soft, and strong. Both are biodegradable and long-lasting, making them well suited to a conscious and respectful approach to production.
I’m also interested in exploring innovative and sustainable textile materials, such as plant-based leathers made from pineapple, cactus, or mycelium. I think it’s important to remain open, as long as the development of new materials is guided by ethical and ecological values.
For me, materials must make sense — in their origin, in their use, and in their afterlife.
Pluto, Black cotton ropes and rattan cord. Gabriela Malimbus.
Where did you learn your craft?
My journey into textile creation began with a formal education in Fine Arts, specialising in Sculpture. That foundation gave me strong tools to understand form, space, and material, but what truly shaped my practice was the freedom to explore beyond a single discipline. I’ve always been drawn to processes that allow for autonomy, conceptual exploration, and experimentation.
Over time, textiles became a natural medium through which to develop ideas. I learned through practice: testing materials, combining techniques, observing how fibres behave and what stories they might tell. I work with both natural and recycled materials, always seeking methods of production that are responsible and meaningful.
At Malimbus Studio, I focus these explorations — bringing together craft, symbolic research, and a contemporary perspective on the objects that surround us. I’m interested in creating original pieces that are sustainable, functional, and rich in content.
My craft is a constant process of learning, shaped by curiosity, hands-on work, and dialogue with other makers and fields of knowledge.
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Further Information:
Image Credits:
Lead: Germinated Tapestry (Detail) by Gabriela Malimbus.
All images courtesy of Gabriela Malimbus.