material as muse: Reinder Schmidt

Reinder’s art is quiet but intentional. He stitches together leftover textiles from the fashion industry, turning scraps into stretched canvases. Often, these compositions are painted entirely in one colour. “That way,” he explains, “the richness of the structures, shapes and patterns in the fabrics comes to the surface.” The resulting works (Textile Landscapes, as he calls them) evoke views from above, as if one were looking at terrain from an airplane window.

Inspired by nature but rooted in waste, these landscapes are meditations on reuse, craft, and calm. “I want to create something warm, calming, and beautiful,” Reinder says, “while showing people how much we discard.” The materials are never neutral, they are remnants of something once worn, once wanted, and now reimagined.

What’s unique about Reinder’s practice is that it has been deeply shaped by his time at Hul le Kes. “Without Hul le Kes,” he says, “my own work would not look the way it does.” At our studios, he works with recycled textiles, engaging in a circular system that sees value in every scrap. This exposure has changed how he thinks about materials and about making.

In return, the care and precision he brings to his art have influenced the aesthetic and ethos of our collections. Reinder believes in the ability of handwork to connect, to soothe, to reveal. “I find it fascinating,” he adds, “to turn something that initially holds no value into an object that’s admired in luxury interiors or galleries.”

Over the years, Reinder has become a devoted student of craft. Through Hul le Kes, he’s delved into pattern drawing, garment construction, and natural dyeing. “In a world increasingly dominated by technology and automation,” he says, “craftsmanship is a necessary counter-movement.” For Reinder, imperfection is not a flaw, but a fingerprint, evidence of the human touch.

This philosophy places Hul le Kes in contrast with much of the fashion industry. Here, the material leads. “Instead of producing new textiles, we begin with what’s already there,” Reinder explains. “That limitation forces us to be creative. It adds value to what we use, and makes us more careful with it.”

His own artworks echo this ethos. Though they may look similar at first, each is shaped by a unique constellation of factors: what Reinder was feeling at the time, what fragments were available, and what the materials wanted to become. “The differences,” he says, “are in the details.” That interplay is what gives the work its emotional weight.

Fashion, for Reinder, is not separate from this process, it is part of the same expressive landscape. “To me, fashion is about creating form,” he says. “It’s a worn object that takes up space. I see every outfit as a kind of composed artwork.” This sculptural view of clothing reflects his overall approach: intuitive, layered, responsive.

Sustainability is not a trend for Reinder, it’s a way of thinking. Just as he lets materials guide his art, he lets them guide his values. He uses what’s available, trusting that limitations can lead to invention. “Sustainability isn’t a theme,” he notes, “it’s a method, a mindset.”

At the time of writing, he is exploring more experimental formats and developing three-dimensional pieces. Some of these works will be presented at the upcoming NockNock Artfair. Others are already on display in collaboration with interior designer Eric Kuster, using leftover paint to complete the circle.