On 31 August, the TRC opened its doors for a new exhibition: Paisley: The History of a Global Icon (by the curator, Augusta de Gunzbourg)

The new Paisley exhibition at the TRC. Photograph by the curator, Augusta de Gunzbourg.We all know the motif, that cone shape that is curved at the top, which is found on Kashmir shawls, men’s ties, 1970’s hippie prints, or even on cowboy bandanas. Paisley is everywhere !

It is so well-known that it is generally accepted as just being one of those patterns that have always been there, but we rarely think think about its origins and why it is so popular all over the world.

The TRC exhibition is a re-edited, expanded version of one of its past, and online exhibitions (interrupted by the COVID-pandemic) about the famous Paisley motif, and this time mounted in the TRC's new premises along the Boerhaavelaan (No.6) in Leiden.

The exhibition explores the history of the Paisley motif, its ancient origins and its development to the present day. It also looks at how it is currently used for a wide variety of textiles and garments all over the globe.

Click on the illustration to open the brochure.The TRC has made a new brochure about its background, its vision, and its intentions for the future. The brochure is especially aimed at European companies and individuals that want to support the TRC. The brochure also lists the countries where the organisation 'GivingEurope' can help the potential sponsors with information about attractive tax benefits.

These countries include Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland. The brochure also gives information about sponsors from the. USA, who can direct their donations via Myrad USA, which will organise the tax benefits. Potential sponsors from The Netherlands can address the Cultuurfonds.

Joost Kolkman and Ray Raymakers produced a lovely brochure about the TRC, but also about the importance and attraction of textiles. The brochure can be downloaded here. A printed version is also available, and can be obtained from the TRC.

Koptisch weefsel uit Egypte, ca. 4de eeuw na Chr. (TRC 2025.0012), geschonken door Titia Huisman.Bent u een liefhebber van textiel? Heeft u het TRC bezocht en ervan genoten? Wilt u de toekomst van onderzoek en onderwijs op het gebied van textiel en kleding steunen, zowel hier in Nederland als daarbuiten?

Overweeg dan eens om de Stichting Textile Research Centre (TRC Leiden) op te nemen in uw testament. Wij zijn een Culturele ANBI; dit betekent dat schenkingen vanuit Nederland zijn vrijgesteld van erfbelasting, waardoor uw volledige bijdrage ten goede komt aan het TRC!

Let op: een handgeschreven document volstaat hiervoor niet; een dergelijke schenking in een testament moet door een notaris worden opgesteld. U heeft hiervoor de volgende gegevens nodig: Stichting Textile Research Centre, Boerhaavelaan 6, 2334 EN Leiden, Nederland, ingeschreven bij de Kamer van Koophandel onder nummer 41168554. Onze notaris is TeekensKarstens in Leiden.

Wij zijn al in diverse testamenten opgenomen voor de schenking van objecten, maar financiële steun is minstens zo belangrijk om ervoor te zorgen dat onze vele activiteiten kunnen worden gecontinueerd! Het overwegen waard!

Voor meer informatie kunt u gerust contact met mij opnemen: Dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood via Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken..

The new premises of the TRC, from the back garden.Robert Spiegelman is an American friend of the TRC who has been visiting Leiden and the TRC for some years, and has been supporting our work in many ways.  Here is his personal appeal:

I am a huge, and hugely unlikely supporter of the TRC.

Let me explain. I am an American who loves Leiden and spends more than a tenth of my time there every year. A few years back, my curiosity was peaked. I had read about the TRC and while cycling by I met Gillian. It was truly inspirational. She gave me a tour, told me about their work, explained the plan/intention to go from an “academic volunteer run knowledge center” in a nondescript street front location to become everything it could be, a fully professionally run organization and an internationally recognized expert and leader. The dedicated group has done an amazing job.

I was impressed and immediately began making contributions to keep the lights on.

Why do I say “unlikely?” While I love Leiden, it is not my home. I have no interest in fashion and while I suppose textiles and textile history are important, neither was an interest of mine. What impressed me was the importance of the work that was being done, the idea that textiles, fashion, and the textile trade could be used to trace changes in civilization worldwide for several centuries. The parallels are fascinating.

USA-based donors can make tax-deductible contributions to the "Friends of the TRC Leiden" at Myriad USA. Because Myriad USA is a public charity, within the meaning of Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the IRC, donors may claim the maximum tax benefits allowed by USA tax law for their contributions. Myriad USA works closely together with Every.org (San Francisco).

For the dedicated TRC site on Every.Org, click here.

If you wish to support us, here is how to proceed:

• Gifts by check: Address your check to Myriad USA, write "Friends of the TRC Leiden" in the memo section of the check, and send it to Myriad USA at 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10176
• Gifts by credit card, bank transfer, Paypal, etc, via Every.org: click Myriad button above.
• Gifts by wire transfer or to contribute other types of property: Contact Myriad USA via email at Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. or phone (212) 713-7660. 

Het TRC is een onafhankelijke stichting die wordt verzorgd door vrijwilligers. Steun ons door uw donatie over te maken op: (IBAN) NL39 INGB 0002 9823 59, ten name van: Stichting Textile Research Centre. BIC-code is: INGBNL2A. Omdat de TRC een erkende ANBI (Culturele Instelling) is, is uw gift, als u in Nederland belasting betaalt, tot 125% fiscaal aftrekbaar.

U kunt ook, als u de iDEAL-app op uw computer/IPhone heeft, via onderstaande iDEAL-knop het bedrag invullen dat u wilt doneren:

TRC Intensieve Textielcursus, studenten aan de slagDeze cursus wordt sinds vele jaren gegeven door mevr. dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood en trekt belangstellenden uit de hele wereld. De cursus combineert theorie met praktijk, met een nadruk op het uitproberen van verschillende technieken zoals spinnen, weven en verven, het onderzoeken en analyseren van organische en niet-organische vezels, en het bestuderen van complete stoffen.

Het is de bedoeling dat studenten leren wat er precies gebeurt rond de productie van textiel en welke combinaties van technieken kunnen worden gebruikt. Textiel, uit welke tijd of welke cultuur dan ook, kan daardoor beter worden begrepen. Gebruik wordt gemaakt van de enorme textiel- en kledingcollectie van het TRC. De cursus is een 'must' voor iedereen die betrokken is bij de studie van archeologisch, historisch of modern textiel, voor designers en mode-studenten, en in het algemeen voor iedereen die serieus is geïnteresseerd in alle aspecten van textiel, en meer wil weten en oefenen.

Cursussen in 2026: 22-26 juni; 10-14 aug; 12-16 okt.

In 2027: 22-26 febr.; 19-23 april; 21-25 juni; 23-27 aug.; 25-29 okt. 

Fig. 1. Late-19th century, silk, knitted socks from Iran (TRC 2002.0078a b).(Nader Sayadi, 5 August 2026) The Textile Research Centre (TRC) holds a significant and growing collection of textiles from the Islamic world. In June 2026, I had the chance to study a few examples from its Iranian Regional Dress collection, a large group of specimens that the TRC collected in Iran between 1998 and 2001.

This collection showcases some of the attire commonly worn in Iran at the turn of the millennium. Many of the garments are an adaptation of older styles, and therefore often known as living “folk” or “traditional” attire.

Other Iranian textiles and garments that are housed at the TRC, such as the donated Bayani Family Collection, include garments and accessories from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century (Fig. 1).

While a few museums have collected nineteenth-century textiles and garments, there has generally been little interest in acquiring, studying, and interpreting recently made textiles and attire in “folk” style. As a result, such textiles are not easily accessible to researchers outside of Iran.