Transparency Talks: PoMo and Manufacture Oslo

Repass has recently completed a project to implement Digital Product Passes (DPPs) for PoMo, Trondheim’s new museum for modern and contemporary art. Located in a historic Art-Nouveau building designed by Karl Norum in 1911, the museum’s mission is to make international contemporary art accessible to all while fostering a lasting enthusiasm for visual culture. PoMo’s collection is growing to include diverse artists from around the world, and it is complemented by dynamic exhibitions and a strong focus on engaging visitors with art through a variety of activities and a museum shop. 

In February 2025, PoMo opened its doors with a project involving a collaboration with Manufacture Oslo (MO) and Repass. Manufacture Oslo, established in 2021, focuses on creating a more responsible and sustainable textile industry by introducing innovative design tools and production methods. Their role in the project included product development and overseeing production abroad to ensure the highest standards of sustainability. The result: a series of exclusive t-shirts and caps designed in collaboration with PoMo, produced in India, and available for purchase at the museum.

©Manufacture Oslo 

What sets these products apart is the integration of a digital product pass (DPP), developed by Repass. This digital pass enhances the visitor experience by connecting the physical products with digital elements, creating a bridge between the museum’s physical space and the digital world. The collaboration with Repasdo introduces an approach to how museums can engage visitors, merging the realms of physical products and digital technology. 

We interviewed PoMo and Jon Amund from Manufacture to explore how this collaboration came to life, the role of the digital pass in this project, and how combining physical products with the museum experience is shaping a new model for cultural institutions. 

©Manufacture Oslo

How did the collaboration with PoMo come about, and what attracted you to partner with them on this project? 

Jon Amund: The collaboration with PoMo came about quite organically. When they approached us with the idea, it immediately resonated with our mission. It felt like a natural extension of our belief in thoughtful, culturally rooted design. 

The products created in collaboration with Manufacture Oslo tie into the museum’s identity and the artists you work with. How do these products help to create a more personal connection between the visitor and PoMo?  

PoMo: The visitor will learn more about us and the product they purchase. I think people today are happy to learn that we care about the environment and that traceability is important. They will also feel that they purchase more than one item, but almost a collectable t- shirt/ caps that they will take care of. Knowing also about the artist that helped create it. 

3D design by ©Manufacture Oslo

You introduced digital product passes (DPPs) for products like t-shirts and caps. How do you see these digital passes enhancing the product's identity and the customer’s overall experience at the museum?  

PoMo: I think we are ready to move forward. Today I, as a store manager, take pride in knowing where it is produced, and what it is made of. So far for us it is manageable because we are not as big a store and can keep track of most of our items. For the experience of the customer this is important. Everybody has everything, it is the story that sells! 

Working on this project, how has it felt to combine the identity of a museum with the digital component in physical products? 

Jon Amund: It’s been both exciting and meaningful. Museums preserve and communicate culture – and bringing that into physical products, while also embedding digital layers, adds new dimensions. We’re not just making merchandise; we’re telling stories. It felt like designing at the intersection of tradition and innovation. 

The digital pass allows visitors to engage with the products in new ways. How do you envision this evolving relationship between customers and the museum’s offerings in the future?  

PoMo: Be more informative about it. It is not so common to use this yet, so to be out on social media telling everybody about it is important. So, an overall better marketing around it! 

We worked to integrate digital product passes (DPPs) with products like t-shirts and caps. Can you share how these DPPs enhance the product’s identity and customer experience from your perspective? 

Jon Amund: The DPPs are a game changer. They give customers a way to explore more about the product’s origin, cultural context, and even its afterlife. From our perspective, it’s a tool for transparency, connection, and longevity. It deepens the relationship between product and person, and it also opens possibilities for future interactions like resale, repair or even returning the item to a circular system. 

With Repass’s involvement bringing a digital element to the products, how do you see this collaboration influencing the broader fashion industry and the way fashion interacts with cultural institutions? 

Jon Amund: It’s a glimpse into where fashion is heading. Repass’s platform helps us embed stories and systems that extend the life and meaning of a garment. When cultural institutions like museums enter the picture, it elevates fashion from trend to legacy. This kind of collaboration challenges the industry to move beyond aesthetics – to create with purpose, context, and responsibility. We believe it sets a precedent for how fashion can act as both a medium and a message in cultural storytelling. 

PoMo opened in February—what was the opening weekend like, and what has visitors' overall response been so far? 

PoMo: The opening weekend was fantastic, so many people visiting us, and being so excited about the new museum! We had over 4000 people the first day we opened. The response that we get is overwhelming! 

©PoMo 

The project with PoMo and Manufacture Oslo has been an exciting one for Repass, as it lives in the intersection of responsible production, culture and digitalization. We are pleased with the result and cannot wait to see how this can evolve in the future.  

Thank you to Jon Amund and PoMo for taking the time for an interview, and for the great collaboration.