Translations:Materiële bewaring van je fysiek archief/24/en

• Store your textiles flat in a box or rolled up if you don’t have enough space (not including costumes). Avoid folding!
• Do not store textiles dirty; this attracts pests.
• Protect costumes from direct sunlight and other bright light. Otherwise the fibres become brittle and break down, and the colours fade.
• Never store textiles in a plastic cover or bag without ventilation; plastic doesn’t let air through, so condensation can form inside when the temperature changes. This moisture then has nowhere to go, causing mould to form which can damage the fibres.
• Roll up costumes on acid-free rolls or lay them flat if there’s enough space. Always cover or wrap them. Fill folds with rolls of silk paper to prevent breakage. If you hang the garments on hangers or a clothes rack, make sure each item is properly supported. The rack or wardrobe also needs to be large enough to avoid creasing and folding.
• Hang all costumes on identical hangers. You’ll be surprised how much space this saves!
• You can wrap textiles in clean white cotton sheets, acid-free paper or boxes, or clean and breathable materials such as Tyvek. The Royal Theatre of La Monnaie has created a handy pattern for you to make your own covers out of Tyvek, which you can request via contact@cemper.be.
• Keep wardrobes free of dust and ensure regular movement to disturb and get rid of any moths.
• Hang cedarwood blocks between the costumes rather than mothballs. This is cheaper and better for the environment. Instead of replacing the blocks every year, you can treat them with a mixture of cedar and lavender oil every three to four months. It’s much more enjoyable performing in costumes that smell good and not like mothballs!
• If you find any moths, place your textile in a plastic bag, squeeze out as much air as possible and seal tightly. Then place in the freezer for two weeks. After these two weeks, let it defrost gradually, remove the plastic bag as soon as possible, and continue to leave to dry as normal. Never use a hairdryer to speed up the process!