What are Preservation Products?

The most important factor in textile preservation is providing a stable environment for the textile to age in. All materials that come in contact with the textile must be acid free and very stable. Archival products are specifically designed to provide this environment. Archival products are produced with no acidic content which can deteriorate the textile over time. Proper textile management requires periodic access to the material in order to inspect and adjust the garment. Therefore it should be easy to open the box to perform these functions. Proper folding of the textile, using archival buffered or unbuffered tissue is necessary to ensure that major folds are protected. Textiles also need to have good air circulation in order to age evenly and avoid moisture buildup, which can lead to mildew. Some companies promote sealed containers as a method of preservation. Sealing the container makes it difficult or impossible to inspect the garment. Worse yet, the plastic often gives off gasses that may accelerate textile deterioration. Sealed containers can often trap moisture inside allowing mildew to grow. They also restrict air circulation which can lead to uneven aging of the textile. This "preservation" method does not offer a reliable long term environment for textile. Museums recognize only archival quality paper and boxes as a way to provide reliable long term storage. A call to your local museum conservator will verify these facts, and can also provide a wealth of information on how to care for your precious garments. National Gown Cleaners provides archival products that meet stringent specifications. We provide the same archival products that museums and private textile conservators use to protect the finest textiles. Our archival boxes are both lignin free, and acid free throughout. The boxes are never sealed which allows easy access to the textile to perform periodic inspections and refolding. The lids are snug, but allow proper air circulation to occur. All our products have been extensively researched by textile conservators and we can provide complete specifications for them. National Gown Cleaners also offers Micro Chamber Technology boxes. This technology is now being accepted internationally by many leading museums as the best product available for use in textile storage.