Conditioning Storage And Display Of Textile In Museum

Presented By:Mona VermaPh.D. Research ScholarDeptt. of Textile and Apparel Designing, CCSHAU,HISARmona.verma35057@gmail.com

IntroductionProviding appropriate storage for textiles is crucial for their preservation, as it is for most types of items found in museumcollections.

The very qualities that make textiles pleasant to wear or convenient to use, such as flexibility, softness, or bright colours, also make them fragile and susceptible to damage .

Several of the primary causes of deterioration of textiles -- heat, moisture, light, insects, and rodents – can be controlled by providing a suitable environment and appropriate furniture.

Another prominent cause of deterioration of textiles is improper storage and displaying technique.

Proper conditioning treating should be provided to the textile to save it from damage.

Keep hands away from textiles unless handling is absolutely necessary.The body gives off acids and oils through its pores that can damage textiles. Wash hands often and use white cotton gloves whenever possible.If the textile is fragile, carry it flat on a support.

Make sure there is a clean surface of adequate size available before you move a textile from one place to another.

Avoid carrying all but the smallest textiles by yourself. Get another person to help when you are transporting large, heavy textiles.

Use a well-padded cart in good condition to transport boxed and smaller Items.

Consider Points While Handling Textile

Remove jewellery, badges, belt buckles, and watches that might catch on and tear textiles, especially during installation and preparation of textiles for storage.

Use clean, padded surfaces when working with textile collections.

Keep tools, inks, and other writing materials away from the work area.

Use only pencil when working around textiles.

Avoid placing textiles one on top of another. When stacking them is absolutely necessary, interleave textiles with unbuffered, acid-free tissue paper, and be aware of the weight of one textile on another.

Cond….

• A condition assessment involves determining and recording the extent and location of damage of an object and if, possible what caused the damage.

• The conservator also estimates whether the damage is ongoing or not.

• From this information, treatment option and preventive measures for the future care the object can be proposed.

Condition Assessment

Cond….

Good• no loss of flexibility, no areas of loss

or fraying, , no dimensional distortions, no surface dirt or stains, no discolouration, no fading, no colour bleeding, no mildew, no previous repair and no insect infestation

Good-Fair • • some fraying, minor holes or

slight staining, but they are still flexible

Fair • moderate surface stain & dirt,

moderate fading.

Fair-Poor • moderate stiffened or inflexible, colour

distortion, large area of fading, and colour bleeding and large number of previous repairs.

Cond….

Poor• Poor condition textile is very stiff,

major distortion very dirty stained, very faded major areas of colour bleeding, presence of active mildew, musty odour and active insect infestation.

Cond….

Many factors contribute to a textile’s deterioration. These agents of deterioration can occur naturally, or they can result from external forces.

Avoiding agents of deterioration is the key role of preventive conservation.

The agents that affect textile collections most are:

light (visible and ultraviolet)TemperatureHumidityPollutionPests

Conditions Need to be Maintained

Relative humidity should be kept constant at a level between 50 and 60 percent to prevent fibres from expanding and shrinking repeatedly causing dimensional distortion (King, 1985).

Silks should be stored at a slightly narrower range of relative humidity levels ranging from 50 to55 percent (Scott, 1993).

Rapid changes in temperature should be avoided because they usually cause changes in humidity and because high temperatures can cause heat damage and organism growth.

Temperatures of 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 19 degrees C.) are considered best for textiles.

People are also a source of both heat and humidity, and storage areas that are not accessed frequently and not by more than a few people at a time are preferable (Commoner, 1992).

Temperature and Relative Humidity

Light causes textile dyes to fade and undyed textiles to bleach or darken.

Light can also be a catalyst for deterioration of weighted silks. Light damage is cumulative and irreversible.

The amount of light damage depends on the type of light (ultraviolet and/or visible), intensity of the light, and duration of exposure.

Use monitoring equipment to identify levels of UV radiation and illuminance (levels of visible light are measured in “lux”).

Light

Reduce your collection’s exposure to light by storing and displaying textiles in rooms without windows. (Clear UV-absorbing films will reduce UV levels, but will not reduce illuminance).

Cover all windows with drapes or blinds to further protect textiles. Avoid storing and displaying textiles in rooms with doors that open to the outside.

The maximum illuminance recommended for textiles is 50 lux.

All UV light should be filtered. Consider ways to limit the total light exposure, such as automatic dimmer switches, or simply turning out lights when visitors are not present.

Cond…

One of the main purposes of regular cleaning in museums is to control dust. Dust comprises matter from both the outside and inside environment. Dirt, soil, soot and salt enter the building from the natural environment, while the most common matter to collect indoors is human skin and hair. Dust is potentially damaging to collection items. A film of dust over everything also suggests neglect.

Dust builds up quickly absorbs moisture so can create a humid environment in a small, confined area can be gritty and therefore abrasive when rubbed from an object attracts and harbours pests can absorb and carry pollutants can cause staining can collect in pockets and cause physical damage to objects through distorting their shape and causing cracks.

‘Dirt’ or Dust

Pollution

Outdoor pollutants, such as dust and pollen, can easily be brought into a museum through open doors and windows.

Industrial emissions as well as natural processes of erosion create pollutants.

Cleaning products, asbestos fibres, building materials, paint, carpeting, and other indoor materials can generate pollution from within a museum.

Cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoke are also harmful forms of pollution.

Dirt disfigures, dulls, and stains textiles. Dirt and dust also contain a high proportion of silica.

The sharp surfaces of silica can cut and abrade textile fibres, especially when the fibres expand and contract in response to changes in RH. Sulfur dioxide bleaches, discolours, and embrittles textiles.

Hydrogen sulfide in the presence of moisture darkens lead pigments, tarnishes metals, and reacts with finishes and some embellishments.

Formaldehyde in paints, varnishes, wood products, and carpeting damage some dyes.

Tar and particulates from tobacco products stain textiles and are difficult to remove.

Cond….

Textile fibres are an excellent

source of food for microbes and

insects.

Sizing, starch, gelatin, binding

media for pigments, soils, and stains also are attractive to

pests.

Case bearer and webbing clothes

moths are attracted to high protein material including wool, silk, hair, fur, feathers, and

skins.

The female moth lays eggs within

the weave structure of the

textile. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed on

the textile material.

Insects /Pests

Larvae take on the colour of the materials they consume, making them difficult to see.

Moths channel through the textile making holes, or “graze” on the surface thinning the yarns and weakening the textile structure.

Silverfish, cockroaches, termites, and woodworms eat cellulose and graze on parchment, leather, paper, fabrics, glues, and painted decorations.

Woodworms, termites, and carpet beetles can be found in furniture and associated furnishing fabrics, upholstery, and the inner structure of upholstery materials.

Carpet beetles also attack silk and wool textiles.

Mold and mildew grow in warm, damp locations. Irreversible brown stains are caused by enzyme attacks from the digestive processes of these organisms.

Cond….

Airing Vacuuming Wet cleaning Dry cleaning

Consider the following methods of removing soils:

Before selecting a cleaning method, determine fibre content, the condition of the textile, and the fastness of dyes. Look for the presence of soluble glues, paints or trims. Start with the least damaging or gentlest care method. Remember, the goal is not forthe article to look new, but to preserve it.

Airing

If your textile has a musty smell, air it indoors away from direct sunlight. Fragile fabrics should not be exposed to outside air.

Ultraviolet radiation, air pollution, air borne dirt, and insects are harmful to them.

Do clotheslines because strain will concentrate in a small area. Do not beat or shake the textile as this may cause damage.

Vacuum CleaningEvery museum should have at least one vacuum cleaner that is reserved for use on museum objects.

A vacuum with a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air) that removes 99.97% of particulates 0.3 microns or larger in size is the most appropriate for removing dust and particulates from textiles.

The vacuum also should have a rheostat to allow for suction control. Most textiles should be vacuumed with very low suction.

The upholstery or crevice wand is the best tool for vacuuming most textiles and upholstery; an upholstery brush works well on pile carpets.

Points to be kept in mind while vacuuminghtt

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Vacuum the inside

and outside of the fabric

fibre glass window screen

Round brush

attachment

Set on the

lowest suction

It is easy to pick up loose threads and surface

embellishments like embroidery when vacuuming.

To prevent damage when vacuuming, protect the textile surface with polyester or nylon window screening. Sew cotton tape over the cut edges of the screen.

Proper vacuuming technique is to Loop the vacuum hose over your arm to keep from dragging it across the textile.

Place the brush down on the surface of the screen.

Lift the brush to move it to the next location (do not rub the brush back and forth across the screen).

Cond….

Wet cleaning cotton and linen textiles removes the acid build up on the fibres and leaves them cleaner and more flexible. This usually prolongs the life of a textile. Wet cleaning can be effective for textiles that are not too fragile.

Wet Cleaning

Wet cleaning is useful to. . . .

Add moisture to dry and brittle fibresRemove water soluble soils, including perspirationRemove starch which attracts insectsRemove acid that builds up naturally on cellulosic fabricsRemove established creases which may cause cracks and slits in the fabricRemove tangles in loose or ravelled yarns.

Do not use wet cleaning if. . . . .

Dyes fade in water or detergent solutionTrims, glues, and paints dissolve in waterFabric is a dyed silk, which can water spotFabric is crepe (tightly spun yarns swell in water and become damaged)It is a multi-layered garment, which is difficult to dryFabric is very fragile and, becoming weaker when wet, may deteriorate.

Carbon tetra chlorideTrichloroethaneStoddard solventCFC-113-freon

Solvents used wet for Cleaning …

Steps After Wet Cleaning

Dry cleaning may be preferable for some textile heirlooms. Dry cleaning is advisable for cleaning:

Fabrics stained with adhesives, paints and oils which are not water soluble.Textiles with water soluble dyesGarments with many layers or fabrics of many different colours.Materials with tightly spun yarns (such as crepe),Fabrics with a pile, such as velvet or carpeting.Heirlooms made from feathers or fur.

Dry Cleaning

Items with rubber (as found in early elastics)

Removing perspiration chemicals from fabrics

Oil painted designs

White silk and wool fabrics, which turn to shades of yellow or gray.

Do not use dry cleaning

for…

Glycol ethers HydrocarbonLiquid siliconModified hydro carbon blendsBrominated solventsPer chloroethylene

Solvents used Dry for Cleaning …

After cleaning textile, check for tears or holes. Ignoring this type of damage actually increases the rate of further deterioration. Use a backing or support fabric for fragile fabrics.

A fairly sturdy fabric may require only needle and thread. Never use fusible fabrics to repair a treasured textile heirloom. The long term effects of adhesives are uncertain and the heat required for proper application may damage the fabric.

Choose a support material with a weight, colour, and texture compatible with the textile heirloom. Select backing fabrics for sheerness, softness, and durability.

Synthetic materials are more desirable than silk because they do not deteriorate as rapidly. Good choices include voile, nylon chiffon, organza and nylon tulle.

Nylon netting is a good repair fabric for flat laces. Tulle is best for mending gathered laces because it is not as stiff.

Always launder the supporting fabric at least twice to remove sizing and excess dye, and to shrink the fabric.

Repairing Textile Damage

Standard size pins and needles may be too large when working with sheer or thin historic fabrics. Size 00 insect pins (order through a school or scientific supply store) will cause less damage to the fabric.

Thin beading needles are best for very sheer or fragile fabrics. Use fine cotton or silk sewing thread or ravel lengthwise yarns from fabric which is similar in colour, weight and texture.

Avoid nylon monofilament thread, which can cut a fragile fabric. Using a thin needle, enter the fabric between yarns rather than puncturing them. Take stitches 1/4 inch long. Shorter stitches strain the fabric yarns.

Take two or three back stitches instead of tying knots. Stitches taken in the lengthwise and crosswise directions (with the grain) show less than stitches taken on an angle.

Cond….

To mend a hole in an heirloom fabric, apply a piece of backing fabric. Hand baste once or twice around the hole and through the backing.

Then overcast the edges of the heirloom fabric, sewing into the backing textile with stitches parallel to the historic fabric grain.Do not use a sewing machine to repair fragile fabrics. The mechanical action can be very stressful).

Occasionally an aging fabric will lose the structural yarns in one direction.

This leaves a tangle of loose yams. Straighten these remaining yams by soaking the fabric in distilled water and floating the yarns into proper alignment.

After drying, the loose yams can then be stitched to a backing fabric. The stitch actually reweaves the loose yams, as it stitches the yarns down against the backing

Cond….

The structure of a textile, its condition, and size determine the best storage method. In general, you will choose from the following storage methods:

• Archival Rolling Tubes

• Flat-file Cabinets

• Archival Boxes

• Costume Wardrobe Cabinets

• Shelving Units

• Specialized Containers

Material used for storage

Types of Storage

Flat storage is ideal for most textiles because it provides complete support for the object.

Small textiles (for example, samplers and some household linens), fragments, and particularly fragile textiles should be stored flat.

Flat storage is impractical for most large items like carpets and tapestries.

However, permanently gathered or pleated curtains should be stored flat in archival costume boxes or drawers using padding techniques.

Flat Storage

Flat textiles can include wall hangings, carpets, curtains, household linen, bed covers, flags, tapa, cloaks, embroidery, lace, and some costumes.

Store textiles flat in acid-free boxes or in drawer units.

These may be metal or wooden. If wooden, make sure the wood is sealed with three thorough coats of Wattyl Estapol Acrylic.

Line and interleave the textiles with acid-free card, acid-free tissue, well-washed unbleached calico, or Tyvek™.

Cond….

Other textiles that are best stored flat include: velvets, and other textiles with a pile structure that could be crushed if rolled or folded.

textiles with a fragile surface, such as gilt or paint

textiles that are particularly brittle or stiff.

textiles with a very uneven surface, such as strongly raised embroidery.

textiles with heavy beading or metallic embroidery.

costumes cut on the bias.

Cond….

Flat Storage

Rolling and flat storage are the two best storage methods. Rolling is the most space efficient for large textiles that are in fairly good condition. It is important to note, however, that painted textiles should not be stored rolled because the painted areas will or are already stiffened by age. If these types of textiles are rolled, cracking, splitting, and paint loss can occur (Haecker, 1995).

Archival quality cardboard tubes are available in a variety of diameters and lengths for rolled storage. If archival quality tubes are unavailable other types may be used after first wrapping them in Mylar, buffered paper, and unbleached muslin in that order with the Mylar closest to the tube (Giuntini, 1992).

Rolled Storage

Cond….

Tubes with wider diameters should

be used for thicker items. Textiles

should always be gently rolled with the decorated side outwards because the side closest to

the tube is prone to wrinkling if too much material is

present.

Acid free tissue paper is rolled

between the layers and can also be used to wrap the

outside of the rolled item (Finch

and Putnam, 1985). Unbleached muslin

cloth can also be used as a cover in cases where light

exposure may be a problem. Wide

fabric strips can be used to secure items that may come unrolled

easily.

These strips are best secured with Velcro, pins, or

buckles instead of knots or tying (Landi,1998).

Cond….

Dust covers do more than protect a garment from dust and light. For example dust covers:

protect the textiles from oils and acids from your hands

prevent the transfer of fugitive dyes from one object to another

prevent metallic embroidery and other attachments (for example braidand buttons on military uniforms) from catching on and tearing other Garments prevent abrasion of adjacent objects as costume items are moved in and out of storage cabinets

Dust Covers

The following guidelines are designed to help to choose the best locations and methods for displaying our textiles.

These recommendations are meant only for textiles in stable condition with proper mounting, framing, or support.

Continuing to display a textile under poor display conditions will accelerate deterioration and shorten the textile’s useful and/or decorative lifespan.

By the time we see visible changes, such as colour fading, yellowing, tears, or insect activity, your textile has already been irreversibly damaged.

Conservation will stabilize the textile and allow it to be displayed again, but only if sensible precautions are taken.

Displaying Textiles

Framed Textiles

Displaying a textile in a frame with no glazing, or with non-filtering glazing, is harmful to the textile.

Anything framed prior to the 1980s will have plain glass or acrylic with no ultraviolet-filtering capacities.

Displaying a framed textile in an area of low or indirect light will not protect it from light damage.

All framed textiles should be retrofitted with UV-filtering glazing or stored safely.

The best place in your home for a framed textile is an interior wall that receives

little or no light on a regular basis.

Excellent areas include rooms with drawn blinds and hallways. Even with

UV-filtered glazing, a framed textile can be harmed

by light, particularly sunlight, which heats up the

fibres causing harmful expansion and contraction. Textiles warmed by the sun

are also favourite destinations for insects such

as carpet beetles.

Cond….

Textiles have been used throughout history to cover walls and windows.

To protect curtains from light damage, make sure they are lined and well supported. Check periodically for water damage after storms.

The best way to protect window treatments, especially sheer curtains, from light damage is to place an ultraviolet filter on the window itself.

A commercial firm will help you install UV-filtering film on your windows when you are ready to make the investment.

Free-hanging Textiles

Tapestries, quilts, and other large, flat textiles, can be safely displayed on a wall without a display case if the conditions in the room are suitable.

Light, temperature and relative humidity, traffic, pets, and insects, such as webbing clothes moths, can all cause damage to free-hanging textiles.

Once a safe location has been determined to hang your flat textile, a conservator can provide a Velcro hanging system.

Ideally, two textiles, such as two similarly-sized quilts, will be rotated to allow each one six months on display followed by six months in an archival storage box kept in a safe location.

Upgrading to a display case can allow for longer-term display.

Cond….

FULL LINED BACKING

A fully supported lined backing requires a selected fabric to match the weight and sometimes the colour of the tapestry, that has been washed and pressed. It should be sized 3" wider than the art and 4-1/2" longer.

Hem the sides by turning and machine sewing the backing fabric 1-1/2", and the bottom at 3". Machine sew the top and bottom edges of the Velcro to the top of the backing fabric and couch this reinforced backing to the verso of the tapestry across the top and down the sides only.

Additional tacking at 1" intervals may also be necessary to help support the inner area. This is particularly important if there is damage and broken or deteriorated fibres .

Cond….

VELCRO SUSPENSION A wooden strip of poplar or other low-resin wood 1/2"x 3" must be sized 1/2" shorter than the width of the tapestry to be displayed, then sealed with a coat of shellac or polyurethane varnish to protect the art from any lignin in the wood. No-rusting, stainless steel staples or tacks are then used to randomly attach a 2" strip of the hook side Velcro to the prepared wooden strip.

Cond….

A pressure mount uses the friction of the backing fabric and the glazing material (acrylic) to hold a textile in place without stitching.

Padding behind the exhibition fabric provides cushioning to the textile object.

This kind of mount is ideal for short-term exhibition of moderate to small-sized textiles and textile fragments.

It is often the most suitable mount for somewhat brittle or fragile textiles that might be damaged by sewing techniques.

Pressure Mount

Cond….

Large textiles that are too fragile to be hung by the top edge alone can be displayed flat on a platform, or on a slanted, fabric-covered support. Use the following materials to construct large slanted supports:

Rigid paper honeycomb panels are among the best materials to use in constructing large supports. Use aluminum channel frames to construct a support with several panels.

Some woods and plywood can be used to construct a support if properly finished.

Slant Support

Choose well-seasoned, air-dried poplar, exterior grade plywood or high or medium-density boards using formaldehyde-free adhesive.

Finish these boards with several coats of moisture-borne polyurethane varnish and allow drying completely.

Cond….

Choose or modify a wooden hanger to provide the base for a hanging support. The ends of the hanger should reach into the sleeve, just beyond the sleeve seam.

Reduce potential strain from heavy, bulky, or awkward garments by providing waist supports.

Use a dust cover to protect each costume from dust, light, and abrasion from contact with other garments.

Label dust covers with catalogue and other identifying numbers to avoid unnecessary handling of the garment.

Hang costumes in closed, properly gasketed cabinets, leaving at least 1.5 inches of space between each object.

If costumes must be stored on open racks, always use closed dust covers.

Hung From a Hanger

Cond….

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Hung From A Dowel

Hung From Pressure Clamp

Cond….

Display Through Mannikins

Display Using Wooden And Glass Case

Cond….

Hanging Over Rods

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