Treasures of the material world come to Romsey on Saturday (April 5).

Experts from all over the UK will be bringing their goods to the Crosfield Hall for World Textile Day, an exhibition of rarely-seen fabrics.

Jim Gaffney, of Textile Traders, one of the organisers, says: “We have been organising a World Textile Day in Wales for six years, then we started one in Scotland and last year we went east to Norfolk. “They have proved extremely successful and people come from miles to enjoy a special day quite unlike anything else. This time, we are spreading southwards to Hampshire.”

The theme of this year’s event is “The Spirit of the Cloth”.

Two expert speakers will be giving talks – John Gillow, an author of many books on world textiles and a supplier of antique textiles to museums and film companies, and Prince Charles’s interior designer, will talk about textiles of the Islamic world.

Martin Conlan, who has been travelling and collecting textiles in south-west China for 30 years, will be talking about spiritual and sacred textiles from the region.

World Textile Day runs from 10 am to 5 pm and entrance is free. Refreshments will be available.