The Ravages of Time: Considerations for Aging Garments and Textiles
The primary goal of this exhibition was to explore how objects have changed or been damaged over time. The hope was to educate visitors about the many perils faced by historic garments and how the museum cares for these objects in order to extend their life and share them with CSU students and the community.
“The goal of preservation is not to anchor us in the past but to mark the paths of our future.” Unknown
Saving Favorites
Imagine your favorite piece of clothing. Is it hung in your closet, folded in a drawer, or are you wearing it today? Now imagine where that item might be in 100 years… in a family trunk, in the landfill, in a museum?
This exhibit is about favorite things from the past: A simple wool blanket, a woman’s silk suit, a fancy purple boa…all of which were favorites of someone. Some are decades old; others are just a few years. However, they all share the same challenge – time. With the passage of time, temperature, humidity, light, pests, pollutants, and physical forces like gravity all take a toll. Depending on the level of care given by the original owner and by subsequent wearers, buttons fall off, folds become creased, textures are abraded, and dots even disappear. Museums cannot stop time; however, we can try to slow the ravages of time.
In this exhibit you will see eight items ranging in age from 190 years old to a mere 40 years old. Each is unique. Each one connects us to a different time and place and to the people who made, used, and/or wore these items. We invite you to consider how time has altered these objects.
Caring for Garments and Textiles
All items in the Avenir Museum derive from animal, mineral, or vegetable origins. Over their lifetime, many factors impact their condition. Wood and leather dry out, metals rust or tarnish, and fibers and feathers break. When storing and caring for clothing and textiles, museums consider the following:
Bright or Dark
Natural cellulose (plant) fibers like cotton and linen as well as animal fibers like silk and wool are damaged by sunlight and even indoor lighting. Therefore, in a museum, fabrics of all types are stored in unlit cabinets and drawers.
Warm or Cold
Temperature impacts all organic fibers once harvested, spun, woven, and knitted or sewn. Museums control both humidity (40-50%) and temperature (65-70o F/ 18-21o C) to prevent damage at the fiber level.
Hanging or Flat
In our homes, we hang some of our clothes and fold other items. Museums do the same. In a perfect world all clothing would be stored flat (with no folds) but in reality, finite museum storage capacity forces a decision to hang some and store some flat. Gravity and garment construction are major criteria. Padded hangers are used for all hanging items and most knitted or fragile items are stored flat with their folds padded.
Bottom or Top
Most flat storage is in drawers. Often several things are stored in a single drawer, therefore, heavier and more substantial items are place on the bottom while lighter, more fragile pieces are place on top.
Folded or Rolled
Depending on the size of an item, many require folding for storage. But folding creases fabrics which in turn can break fibers. Museums often refold items periodically to change the position of creases. Museums also roll large flat items to prevent creasing.
Repair or Not to Repair
Time has a way with objects. Items in the Avenir Museum collection sometimes have rips or tears, missing buttons, or have become so brittle that even minor handling can cause damage. The museum limits repairs to objects mainly to stabilize their condition so that additional handling for education and display is safer. Our first consideration is: do no harm. Repairs are reversible.
As you view these items, consider how you store your favorite garments. Learn how you might best protect them for future generations.
