Textile Research Centre

The TRC has the stated aim of encouraging research into anthropological and archaeological textiles and clothing in the widest sense of the word. In particular, the TRC specialises in dress - what people wear in order to express their identity - and pre-industrial textile technology.[2]

The TRC was founded in 1991 as a Stichting (foundation; non-profit organisation). Since then it has been involved in many aspects of the academic study of textiles and dress, especially those from the Near East.

In 1997 the TRC started building up a textile and dress collection. By late 2010 the collection had grown to over 6,500 textiles, garments and accessories from all over the world. Most of the garments come from the Near East and Islamic lands: notably, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia. It also has a large collection of Dutch regional dress. Many of the garments were obtained during fieldwork by TRC staff and students, whilst others were purchased or given as donations.

Until August 2009 the TRC was housed in the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, but since then it has moved to new premises in the centre of Leiden. It now organises a series of exhibitions, lectures, workshops and training courses for students and others who are interested. Recent exhibitions included: Embroidery from the Arab World (2009–2010)[3] and Well-Dressed Afghanistan (2010–2011).[4]

Middle Eastern dress remains a focal point of the TRC. The veils in the TRC collection, for instance, were used for a major exhibition at the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (1996), and for various publications, including Covering the Moon: An Introduction to Middle Eastern Face Veils.[5]

• Studies in Textile and Costume History (Leiden: Brill). ISSN 0924-7696
• Khil`a: Textiles and Dress in the Islamic World (Leuven: Peeters). ISSN 1781-2534

• De Kleren van de farao: National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden (1994; travelled to Denmark and Germany). An exhibition about textiles and clothing in Ancient Egypt.[6]
• Sluiers ontsluierd (For Modesty’s Sake?): National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (1996–1997). An exhibition about the history and use of veils and face veiling in the Near East.[7]
• Tutankhamun’s Wardrobe: Textile Museum of Borås, Sweden (1999). An exhibition with replicas of the garments found in the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun. This exhibition travelled to Britain, Denmark, Egypt, the Netherlands, Poland and the United States, and is now permanently based at the Textile Museum, Boras, Sweden.[8]
• Hajj: National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (2004–2005). An exhibition about the Hajj and the clothing (ihram) worn by Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.
• Flowing Robes: Clothing and Jewellery from Saudi Arabia: National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (2006–2007).[9]
• Dutch Lace Caps (Stadhuis Leiden, 2007–2008)[9][10]
• The Indian sari (National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, 2010)[11]
• Embroidery from the Arab World (TRC Gallery, 2010)[3][12]
• Well Dressed Afghanistan (TRC Gallery, 2010–2011)[4]

• Textile Research Centre official website
• Textilmuseet, Boras, Sweden

• Eicher, J. B.; Roach-Higgins, M. E. (1992). "Definition and classification of dress: Implications for analyses of gender roles". In Barnes, R.; Eicher, J. B. (eds.). Dress and Gender. Making and Meaning in Cultural Contexts. New York: St. Martin’s Press. pp. 9–28.