| You
have invested in the perfect gown for your wedding
day, 'heirlooming' or 'preserving' your dress
properly afterwards will reduce the risk of permanent
damage or deterioration to the gown. |
| |
|
| Storing
your wedding gown without consideration, planning
or care can lead to damage or deterioration over
a period of time. This can include stain formation,
fabric breakdown, discolouration and permanent
creasing. Your wedding dress can be maintained
as a family heirloom for many years provided that
some simple attention is given to its care and
preservation. There are two basic steps to caring
for your dress: |
| 1.
To understand and minimize or eliminate those
factors that can cause damage |
| 2.
Follow basic guidelines for handling, cleaning
and storing your gown. |
| |
| What
are the main causes of textile damage? |
| There
are a variety of factors that contribute to the
degradation of textiles. These include poor environment,
inappropriate storage, chemical pollution and
careless handling. Chemical pollution is the main
cause of damage and is the result of the migration
of acids from surrounding materials into the fabric
of your gown. The following factors all contribute
to textile damage: |
- direct exposure
to both natural and artificial light can threaten
the longevity of textiles. Visible light causes
fading and fibre damage. Ultraviolet is the
most damaging type of light and is capable
of causing the greatest amount of damage within
the shortest period of time.
|
- these environmental factors are interrelated.
Extremes and fluctuations in temperatures
and humidity (moisture levels) can cause permanent
damage. Textiles can become brittle when humidity
levels are low and, conversely, permanent
staining can occur from mould growth when
humidity levels are very high. Expansion and
contraction of fibres due to extreme fluctuations
in heat can discolour and weaken textiles.
Trapped moisture will encourage bacteria and
insects and cause permanent watermarking stains
on fine silks.
|
- a variety of pests can
cause structural damage and staining to stored
textiles, including moths, beetles, silverfish
and mice.
|
- storing your
gown when the usage stains such as perspiration,
make-up, wine, perfume, cigarette smoke and
grass have not been removed allows those stains
to migrate through the material and create
permanent marks.
|
5.
- long-term storage of
heavy gowns or fragile silks on hangers (even
padded ones) is not recommended. Stress weighting
can cause misshapen seams and permanent creasing;
metal or wood hangers can increase acid pollution
and oil and grease from frequent handling
can oxidize in time to cause brown staining
on the gown. Never hang your gown in a plastic
slip-cover or dry cleaning bag (see below).
|
6.
-
frequent handling with bare hands can transfer
grease, salts and dirt to the gown which can
oxidize over time to leave brown stains. Avoid
pins and marking pens to label your gown.
Do not eat, drink or smoke in the vicinity
of your dress. Do not store with metal or
plastic jewellery, buckles or belts since
these will also increase the risk of acid
formation.
|
7.
- inappropriate storage of your gown will
contribute to degradation of the textile fibres
due to acid migration from the storage materials.
a.
- the worst storage medium for your gown is
a plastic bag or cover. Storage boxes with
plastic viewing windows are also not recommended.
The plastic chemicals react with the fabric
enhancing acid formation and causing excessive
yellowing and tarnishing of white gowns and
fading of coloured fabrics. Plastics also
trap moisture (see above).
b.
- commercial storage boxes are not made of
acid-free board. The acid can migrate and
react with the contents of the box within
only a few months causing gradual yellowing
and deterioration.
c.
- used to make commercial packaging is highly
acidic and also attracts certain pests.
d.
- often sold for Wedding Trouseaux, the high
acid and lignin content of the natural wood
will cause more rapid deterioration and discolouration
of a dress stored in this way.
e.
- the dyes and colourings contained within
commercial tissue paper, printed fabrics or
wrapping papers may be highly acidic and turn
contacted areas yellow. Never use perfumed
and patterned drawer liners to store precious
textiles.
f.
- preserving your gown in a vacuum packed,
oxygen free container is not particularly
ideal or recommended. This method is usually
a last-resort conservation method used by
museums or archivists to preserve fragile
items. The packaging may not always provide
an acid-free environment, may trap moisture
and does not allow for access and inspection
at regular intervals.
|
| |
| What
measures can be taken to reduce these risk factors?
|
| There is no such thing as
'permanent preservation' as all things will eventually
deteriorate due to the wearing effects of time
and the environment. Archival institutions and
museums have developed certain methods and archival
materials for the long term conservation of precious
textiles. By adopting a realistic level of care,
correct handling and suitable archival storage
for your wedding gown you can achieve a good level
of protection from many of the factors that lead
to degradation. |
1.
- treat the preservation
of your gown as part of the wedding planning
process and not as an afterthought. Understand
the fabric and accessories that make-up your
wedding gown and find a good dry cleaner who
specializes in cleaning gowns. Some organized
brides keep an emergency stain cleaner to
hand during the big day, otherwise arrange
for someone reliable to take the dress for
cleaning as soon as possible.
|
2.
- aim to store your dress
in an environment that is as chemically (acid)
neutral as possible:
|
a.
- provides
even support which helps to minimize fibre
damage. Avoid hanging your gown for too long
on hangers or in plastic dry cleaning covers.
Transfer to a flat box / storage container
as soon as time allows.
b. - invest in
a sturdy archival quality storage container
that is specially made for textile preservation
and does not contain harmful acids or alkalis.
The correct box will protect against light
and dust and reduce the risk of minor untoward
accidents!
c.
- don't store more than one item in a container
(mixed materials will have different acid
content and migration may occur into your
dress). Store shoes, veils and purses separately.
d.
- Ensure the storage container is adequate
for the size of dress. Too small and permanent
creasing may occur, too big and your dress
will slide around too freely. Ideally the
dress should be folded as little as possible.
Fold lines are the places where splitting
or shattering of the fabric will occur over
time. Therefore taking extra care from the
outset will benefit your gown later. Ideally
the box should be long enough to take the
full skirt length without folding and deep
enough for the bodice and skirt to lay over
each other without crushing the shape of the
gown. Practice first (using the gloves included
in the pack) by laying the gown in the box
to ensure you achieve the minimum number of
folds necessary BEFORE making the final packing.
Use only white tissue never blue, black or
commercially produced paper. Use the tissue
paper in flat sheets between the layers of
fabric and rolled into soft scrolls to pad
the folds in the material and protect the
edges from becoming flattened and crushed.
Fold once at waist level (bodice onto skirt).
Layer tissue between the skirt and the bodice
and pad the fold with rolled tissue. (Fold
again at thigh level but only if this is necessary
- see size of Archival Box above). Line and
support the actual bodice with sheets or softly
rolled scrolls of the acid free tissue paper.
Then bring the skirt into the centre in vertical
soft pleats lined with flat tissue sheets.
For excess fabric in full skirts make folds
down the length of the gown supported by rolls
of tissue. Cover the folded gown with sheets
of tissue and place the lid firmly on the
box. Store appropriately - see below.
e.
- wash your hands before handling to avoid
transfer of grease and salts. Ideally use
white lint free cotton gloves when folding
and packing your gown (these can be washed
and kept for this purpose). Once packed away,
try to avoid opening the box and handling
again unnecessarily. However, we would recommend
checking the dress each year. Carefully unpack
and examine the gown for any signs of staining
or creasing. Repack again following the above
guidelines to prevent permanent folds and
creases from developing. If your archival
box has been supplied with cotton covers wash
these in mild non-biological washing medium
(no additives or enzymes) to remove dust.
Dry flat and iron carefully.
f. - plan where you are going to store
your dress so that it will not be affected
by radiators, underfloor heating systems,
damp or pests. Keep out of direct sunlight
in a dark place but never in the attic, loft
or basement. Storing in a living part of the
house such as the bedroom will provide an
environment with more stable temperatures
and moderate humidity levels.
|
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| Please do enjoy your gown and your
wedding day but, remember, by taking a little
time and care beforehand you will be also be able
to heirloom your dress properly for you and your
family to treasure long into the future. |
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