Preservation of textile cultural heritage

One of the most important issues for cultural history is the task of preserving our material heritage so that we can experience the past and understand how it shapes our world today. Historical textiles create a special link reflecting the social milieu of all lives, from everyday to ceremonial. Consequently, increasing the lifetime of historical artifacts is crucial to assure that these textiles exist for future generations. This creates a special challenge for improving the museum experience while minimizing damage accrued to objects on exhibition. Light, relative humidity (RH), pollution and other environmental factors must be carefully controlled to achieve this goal. Textiles are complex structures due to their wide variety of fiber types, properties and methods of construction. Preservation of historical textiles is further complicated by their conditions of use and storage, natural aging characteristics and subsequent handling and treatment. It is important to understand these factors and the long-term consequences of conservation treatments. Light, the most degrading environmental factor, is a special problem because of its necessity for public viewing of textiles in exhibits. While museums control the level of light, the spectral energy of light sources is often not addressed. Exhibition options and lighting technology create novel methods for reducing photodegradation. Controlling fluctuations in RH is essential to prevent unnecessary dimensional changes and the fiber fracturing which can occur. Addressing the effects of pollutants and soiling to determine whether these put the textile at further risk is also crucial for extending the life of historic textiles.