News

We have just shut the TRC doors on a very successful book sale at B6 our new home! We have been working hard for the last few weeks to get hundreds of books, magazines, leaflets, etc., sorted according to subject matter – embroidery, woven, printed, knitted, quilts, general history, etc., not to mentioned priced. These were then put into boxes and organised on a variety of tables in the main gallery. We had hoped to hold the book sale in the garden, but the weather was not very helpful – rain clouds and strong winds all day long.

The sale officially started at 10.00 but people were arriving from 09.30 onwards, and the first purchases took place at 09.45. The, from 10.00 until 14.00, there was a constant flow of visitors to search for interesting books and items, as well as for inspiration. Then it gradually slowed down and the last sales were made just after 15.00.

Not just about books

But the day was not just about selling books, it was also intended as an opportunity for people to come and see the new home of the TRC and to talk with colleagues about what we are doing and plan to do, as well as see the TRC’s current exhibition about appliqué textiles (khayamiya) from Egypt.

Some people heard about the sale from the TRC Blog, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Some heard from friends, while others read about it from the recent article in the local newspaper, the Leidsch Dagblad. https://www.trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/nl/textiel-momenten/102-news/1841-leidsch-dagblad

Many people came from the Leiden region, but others had come from Amsterdam, Breda, and even Maastricht to see and talk with us. Indeed there were several people who came from Germany and Belgium. All came with the idea of buying books and satisfying their curiosity. There were also various former TRC volunteers and students who wanted to catch up with the latest TRC happenings, especially with respect to B6.

Thye annual TRC second-hand textile book sale, 13 June 2026.

Nearly 100 people came, and yes, many of whom also asked questions about the TRC! They ranged from fashion and art students to former textile teachers, and the partners of people who are passionate about textile (obsessed some would say, not that we understand such a thing). There was also one elderly lady used to live opposite in Boerhaavelaan 13, while another still lives on the other side of our back garden! Both wanted to see ther inside of the house and relive experiences and memories.

Augusta, Willem and myself took various groups of people around B6 and explained the history and future plans for this amazing building.We also had the chance to tell people about our next big project, namely the building of the storage annexe and many agreed to spread the word. In addition, some other people came to see if they could use the TRC’s new garden for photo shots, bring friends to visit, or to arrange group visits of colleagues or students. Interesting ideas and work for the future.

Money raised

Over 300 items were sold, which has raised nearly €1,000. So what are we going to do with this money? Well, the collection is in need of special rollers for storing various textiles, as well as more suitable acid-free boxes and some large plastic boxes. So the money raised today will go directly towards these items. A fitting use for the funds raised by the book sale and for everyone’s hard work.

I would like to say a big ‘Thank you’ to everyone who helped organise the book sale and bought books, etc. We are already planning more events of this type, so keep an eye on the TRC News, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

Het Leidsch Dagblad publiceerde vandaag, woensdag 10 juni, een artikel van twee pagina's over de TRC, de verhuizing naar de Boerhaavelaan en de ambities voor de toekomst. Het vestigt ook de aandacht op de textielboekenmarkt aanstaande zaterdag, vanaf 10.00 uur.

Find the books you have long been looking for, and help support the TRC by buying some of them! 

We are going to have our annual book sale on Saturday 13^th June, from 10.00 until 15.00. Hundreds of second-hand textile, clothing and accessory books will be on sale, at very reduced prices! 

The TRC regularly receives donations of books. We select them en see whether we can use them and whether the titles may already be included in the extensive TRC textile library. If we cannot use the books, we very much want to pass them on to other textiles friends against a low price.

Why don't you pop in and have a look? You may find the book that you have long been looking for. You will also have the chance to see the TRC’s current exhibition about appliqué textiles called khayamiya which come from Egypt, as well as seeing the TRC’s new building and garden, and of course meeting TRC staff and others.

Our address is: Boerhaavelaan 6, 2334 EN Leiden, just behind the Leiden Central Railway Station.

The Textile Research Centre, Leiden.For three years starting mid-2026, the Textile Research Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands, is offering a total of seven junior and four senior fellowships for up to six months each. The fellowships are being sponsored by the Gieskes-Strijbis Foundation, Amsterdam. Fellows are invited to carry out research based on the TRC’s extensive textiles and dress collection. The junior fellows will be supervised and assisted by TRC staff; senior fellows will carry out independent research.

The TRC will regularly advertise for the fellowships. Fellows are selected by a special committee of TRC staff and/or Board members after, if appropriate, the advice of external specialists.

The first fellow, appointed per 1 April, is Flora Kovacs-Wester, who on 23 May 2026 wrote an interim report.

We are now opening the second round of the fellowships that covers:

• Two junior positions
• One senior position

These will be starting in October 2026 (with a degree of flexibility), for a duration of up to 6 months. Applications for these positions should be submitted by email to the TRC by 20 June 2026 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)  with the reference: ‘Fellowship programme Junior/ Senior' (depending on the position applied for).

In various recent blogs we referred to the TRC’s need for extra storage to house the TRC Collection. We have promised more information and here it is!

Front of Boerhaavelaan 6, the new home of the TRC. The Annex will be built to the left.As you will know, the TRC is an international textile knowledge centre that has just moved into new premises (Boerhaavelaan 6, Leiden) thanks to the help of Leiden Council, the semi-governmental organisation, Monumentenbezit, and many anonymous benefactors.

The building (B6) is an urban villa that dates to about 1909 and was expanded in the 1920s. It was the home of one family, the Barge-Nauta's, for nearly 100 years (see a recent TRC blog).

The TRC currently has a handling collection of over 54,000 registered items of textiles, clothing and accessories. The Collection includes objects from all over the world (culture and textiles have no artificial boundaries), dating from prehistory to the present day. We have, for example, some of the oldest textile fragments in the world, as well as modern items representing current events and trends.

The Collection is one of the largest in this part of Europe, and we are very much aware that it will continue to grow in the future. It is a handling collection that people can see, touch and feel, as well as gain inspiration.

The Spring 2026 issue (No. 227) of the international magazine HALI includes a six-page article, with some splendid photographs, explaining the creation of The Atlas of World Embroidery (Princeton University Press, Febr. 2026). The article and book were written by Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, director of the TRC. A Dutch version of the book, Atlas van de Borduurkunst, came out on the same date and was published by WBooks.

The article is published on pp. 228-229, 230-231, and 232-233.

HALI Vol. 227, 2026, pp. 228-229.

The move to Boerhaavelaan 6 is nearly finished, just a few more weeks and all the rebuilding, painting, furnishing, packing and putting away of boxes will be over! A great relief to all.

I would just like to extend a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who has made a donation to the TRC moving fund. It made such a difference to have your support, best wishes and interest in what we are doing and plan to do. Please feel free to come and see what you have helped to create - the new and improved TRC is an elegant, early 20th century town villa!

Inevitably, we continue looking for help with different projects, and any further financial assistance will be greatly appreciated.

The TRC will open again to the public on Monday 11th May, but in the meantime, workshops, study days and lectures are already being presented. And I can assure you, there is lots more to come!.

Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, Director TRC, 4 April 2026.

Yesterday, Friday 20th March, the rental contract for Boerhaavelaan 6 was signed between the owners, the Stichting Monumentenbezit, and the TRC! This may be one small step for mankind, but it is one large step for TRC’s plans for becoming the international hub for textile and dress studies and for making Leiden into the ‘City of Textile Knowledge’ a reality! 

Photograph, from left to right: Mark van den Bos, Director Monumentenbezit, Dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, Director TRC and Prof. Bas ter Haar Romeny, Chair of the TRC Board.

An extensive programme of research, events, and textile outreach is being organised for this year and indeed for the years to come. And the signing of the contract is a very significant moment for us all.