The National Archives

The National Archive at Kew is the repository for documents of national importance but did you know that it also has an extensive textile collection?

After 1839, samples of cloth destined for export to West Africa were registered for copyright and, under the copyright process, these designs were submitted and stored. Now these fabrics form a fascinating and invaluable resource for researchers wanting to know more about the history of the designs and the trade that existed between the African continent and the UK. You can read more about this on the National Archive blog, and also see some of the fabrics on that page. You can also plan a visit to see the Archives in person. Now, wouldn't that be an amazing afternoon!