Saving Family Treasures .. Maureen A Taylor [printed w/prior permission of Juliana Smith, Editor of Ancestry Daily News] The lyrics to Irving Berlin's "Easter Parade" "In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it" remind me of my childhood. Every Easter Sunday we wore a new set of clothes to church. I remember each one vividly because here in New England, there have been several Easter's with snow on the ground, making it a little chilly for spring attire. Today all that's left of those outfits are photographs of my sister and me dutifully wearing our hats, dresses, and patent leather shoes. While it doesn't make sense to save all your special-occasion outfits, there are some articles of clothing such as baby sets, hats, sweaters bearing a school letter, or items associated with the teams your kids played for that are worth retaining for the future. Hidden away in the attic or basement is a favorite jacket or hat, an heirloom christening outfit, or your wedding dress and shoes. These garments are a reminder of past events either those you remember or those immortalized in oral traditions passed on from generation to generation. You might even own a few photographs of people wearing them. Caring for clothing requires some common sense and containers approved for the storage of textiles. These may or not be the same supplies used for your photographs and documents because fabrics have different storage requirements. As we pack away this year's Easter finery, let's take a look at how we can preserve our textile family treasures. What Is It? Until the last century, clothing was made from either plant (cotton and linen) or animal products (silk and wool). In the twentieth century new synthetic fibers such as rayon, nylon, and polyester first appeared. Silk and wool are susceptible to infestations of insects and are sensitive to alkali, while cotton and linen are sensitive to acid. Some deterioration is due to metals added to the fabric during manufacturing. For instance, black and brown dyes used for cotton are metallic based and over time can cause holes in material due to deterioration, while the metal salts that add weight to silk make it crack and powder over time. Consult a conservator for advice on handling man-made fabrics because they are not organic. A free list of conservators is available online through the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Work, Inc. (http://aic.stanford.edu) Keep Out of Harm's Way Just like photographs and documents, fabric ages and becomes fragile. Most damage occurs through mishandling, improper storage, cleaning, and even by wearing the item. Handle all garments while wearing clean white cotton gloves to protect fabric from any oils or dirt on your skin. Even if you've just washed your hands, you can still transfer oil to the fabric. According to the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Work (AIC), "light, temperature and relative humidity, dust, and pollutants," also cause deterioration. Ultra-violet (UV) light from daylight and fluorescent bulbs injures fabric; high temperatures accelerate the deterioration while fluctuating humidity causes material to expand and contract. Dust and pollutants stain material and can cause abrasive damage. Keep garments safe by finding a storage area in your house that is clean, away from insects and animals, and has a stable temperature and humidity. Attics, basements, and garages are not good choices. A closet away from heat and water sources would be ideal. Storage Once you have selected a storage spot, it's actually quite simple to preserve old clothing or new special garments. Here are a few guidelines: . Stay away from wood, plastic, cardboard, or metal storage supplies. Wood and acidic cardboard will stain fabric, while plastics emit a gas that causes deterioration. Metal is abrasive and has a tendency to rust. . Invest in proper storage supplies. Silk and wool do best with products that are unbuffered with a neutral ph (7.0), while cotton and linen storage requires products with an alkaline buffer (ph higher than 7.0) to neutralize acid. Specialty suppliers like Light Impressions (www.lightimpressionsdirect.com) can help you select appropriate materials. . Fold garments as little as possible because it causes stress along the fold lines. Hanging clothing pulls on the seams in heavy outfits causing tears, so if you can find a box to hold your garment full-length, use it. Light-weight garments without any visible damage can be stored hanging with extra support. . If you need to hang clothing use padded hangers and invest in unbleached cotton fabric for dust covers. You might be able to purchase unbleached cotton fabric at your local sewing shop. Before buying padded hangers in stores, compare their specifications with those available from museum suppliers to make sure the hangers are safe to use with your garments' fabric. Additional storage directions can be found in Caring for Your Collections, by Arthur W. Schultz, general editor (National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property/Abrams, 1992) and Considerations for the Care of Textiles and Costumes: A Handbook for the Non-Specialist, by Harold F. Mailand (Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1980). For specific information on wedding dresses, see my earlier column "I Do." Cleaning It's a good idea to clean garments before storage to eliminate any dust or food, both of which can cause problems later. Prior to cleaning, assess the piece for damaged areas and fragile sections like seams. Conservators suggest using a soft bristle brush to remove dust and other particles. If in doubt about whether to wash or dry clean a garment, consult a conservator. Use extra caution if you can't identify the fabric. Telling the Story Keep the memories of these garments alive. Do as the song says--"the photographers will snap us"--and take pictures of people wearing special attire. Record their story by taping their reminiscences or, like Irving Berlin, "write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet." Your descendants will enjoy learning about your fashion sense (like the fishnet stockings you wore to shock your parents). If you have an heirloom garment in storage attach a label to the dust cover explaining: what the article is, who it belonged to, and that individual's life dates. Telling the story of these favorite articles of clothing firmly establishes them as artifacts worth protecting. Maureen A. Taylor is the author of Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs (Family Tree Books, 2005). Send your preservation questions to her at mtaylor@taylorandstrong.com using Saving Family Treasures as the subject line. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good." List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"