Family Textiles Are Records Too

Are you caring for family textiles? Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have inherited a wedding dress or sampler or quilt. Genealogists are family archivists and sometimes they’re museum curators too.

1. Place Items in Controlled Environments

Textiles like the same environment you do. No basements, no attics, no garages, no storage places where the temperature and humidity cycle up and down constantly.


2. Store Horizontally

Gravity is not your friend, nor is it for family textiles. Store textiles horizontally and roll rather than fold. If you do have examples hanging vertically, take a tip from museums and let them “rest” horizontally from time to time. Don’t store apparel on hangers. Horizontal vs. vertical wins every time.

caring-for-textiles-sampler

Courtesy Pinterest

3. Fold With Care

If you have to fold a large item, pad the folds with acid-free tissue paper from a reputable dealer like Hollinger.

4. Avoid Direct Light

Avoid letting your textiles be exposed to direct sunlight or incandescent light. Sunlight comes into your house and on to your walls differently according to the seasons, so make sure that items on display are safe from direct light year round.

5. Buy Wardrobe Boxes

Only store textiles in acid-free containers like the Intercept Textile Box from Hollinger or other reputable archival supply vendors. Yes, the boxes are relatively expensive. But that big acidic Amazon box that is just the right size for your heirloom? Not good.

6. Frame with Care

Check the backs of framed textiles like samplers. Remove cardboard, wood, shingles, paper, and other highly acidic backing materials. Replace with acid-free backing boards at a reputable framer. Vintage or antique frames are great, but use acid-free mats to keep glass from direct contact with the textile.

Caring for Family Textiles

Many resources are available for questions you may have about caring for your specific family textiles. Google Advanced Search is a great place to search for professional conservators like CaringforTextiles.com, or to find Facebook groups, and other textile communities that can help.

If you are caring for family textiles – Grandma’s quilt, Mom’s wedding dress, great-great-grandma’s needlework sampler – count your blessings!