World of Textiles will be based in the now-empty Kreenholm textile factory warehouse complex. Enterprise Estonia will support the visitor center with €3.6 million, Akuaalne kaamera reported.

"We plan to show what used to be, some old machines and things like that. But we're trying to bring in new technology from the textile industry. Maybe some robots are coming in, maybe you can make some clothes yourself, we hope to attract some designers there," said Martin Künnap, member of the management board of OÜ Varesesaar.

Künnap added that he wanted to make the textiles fashionable in the future. "To bring that old Kreenholm flavor back there," he said.

The center will be the first permanent tourist attraction in the historic factory space meaning that Kreenholm can be visited all year round.

"This will open old Krenholm for visitors, so people will be able to visit Krenholm every day. It will be much easier to start negotiations with potential investors, for example, if they see people coming here, then we can talk about restaurants, hotels and so on," said Narva Gate CEO Jaanus Mikk.

The planned 3,000 square meter World of Textiles is just a small fraction of the 300,000 square meter Kreenholm factory space. The total cost of the Textile World project is €5 million. The visitor center should open its doors by October 2020.

The Kreenholm Textile Factory was built on the shore of the Narva River in 1856 and was the largest and most modern factory in the Russian Empire at that time. In 1913 over 10,000 people worked there and the textiles made there were known all over Europe. The factory was closed in 2010.

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