General attention
Gowns should be stored in a room where the temperature
and humidity levels are constant, such as a guest room or spare closet. Never
store your dress in the attic or basement where there are extreme changes in
temperature and/or humidity. It is best to keep it in a dark (unexposed to
sunlight), dry place, folded or rolled in a clean white sheet. Hanging your
dress on a hanger is not recommended as it can cause stress to the fabric and
create distortion. Do not store your gown in plastic such as a garment bag.
Plastic can emit gases that will tend to yellow the fabric. If you decide to
remove your gown from the one place to another place, we suggest that cotton
gloves should always be worn when handling gowns.
Yellowing
It’s important to note that one of the leading causes of bridal
gown yellowing is the plastic bags that many brides keep their gowns in. Most
plastics give off damaging fumes that actually promote yellowing. But, even with
proper care, some fabrics will yellow more than others and it may be impossible
to prevent all yellowing.
Generally, silk fabric yellows more than synthetic
fabrics, such as polyester, rayon and acetate. However, nylon, which is a
synthetic, has a tendency to yellow more than other synthetic fabrics. Gowns
that can be wet cleaned have an advantage, in that if they do yellow, they may
be able to be whitened for future use with a fabric whitener.
Preserving your
gown in an acid-free environment is your best protection against yellowing.
Padding your gown with acid-free tissue will help to prevent acid migration.
Buffered tissue should be used for gowns made of synthetic fabrics such as
polyester, rayon, and acetate. The buffering agents in the buffered tissue gives
added protection against acid migration. But buffering agents may damage gowns
made of animal proteins such as silk or wool, therefore un-buffered, acid-free
tissue is recommended for silk fabrics
Permanent creasing
Flat storage is recommended for textiles and garments
when possible. However, because of the size and dimensions of wedding gowns, it
is impractical. Some compromise must be made, either by folding or hanging the
gown. To help prevent permanent creasing,.(Cotton gloves should always be worn
when handling preserved gowns.) Bagged gowns that are hung in a closet are
better.
Mildew and mold
Keeping your gown in a breatheable environment will
protect it best from mildew and mold growth. When fabrics can breathe, the
humidity level remains constant around the garment as excess moisture dissipates
into the air. But, if moisture can condense inside a box or any container, then
the gown is at risk for mildew and mold growth.
Oxidation spots
An oxidation spot can occur when a substance that was not
properly cleaned on the dress oxidizies and turns brown. This can happen even if
your dress has been cleaned as dry-cleaning solvents do not remove all
substances. Spills from clear soda or wine may go unnoticed at the time of the
initial cleaning. Unless these spills are pretreated, it is likely they will
oxidize over time. Inspecting preserved gowns periodically ensures the gown
remains in the best condition. The sooner an oxidized stain is caught, the more
likely it will be able to be removed.
Light and dust
Keeping your gown covered will protect it from the damage
caused by light and dust.
