The mission of our textile collection is to collect, display, and preserve the textiles, in proximity to the geographical area in which they were created. Fabrics from various ethnic groups constituting Thailand’s diverse peoples form the foundation of the collection, supplemented by textiles from neighboring countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam—plus some Indian and southern Chinese pieces for comparative study.
Originally starting with just 50 pieces, the wide selection of clothing types, ceremonial items, and domestic accessories now forms one of the largest collections of its kind in the world. Pieces from the collection are permanently on display in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office, and we are also proud to regularly loan pieces to both local and international exhibitions. They can also be viewed by individual scholars and are available for educational events such as lectures and special activities.
Our textile storage room adheres to international museum standards for handling and maintaining a textile collection. It is windowless to prevent sunlight damage to the textiles, and is instead illuminated by LED lighting. Temperature and humidity are carefully controlled, and advanced air filtration and fire suppression systems are in place. It is also equipped with a special freezer (used to treat newly acquired pieces), storage trays that accommodate 20–30 textiles each, and materials such as acid-free tissue paper and Mylar, which are used for safely storing the textiles.