Premier Wedding Gown Preservation Info

Unraveling the Mystery of Wedding Gown Preservation

Preserving your precious wedding gown will make your wedding day memories last forever.

It is essential to know what questions to ask when seeking an expert preservationist.  Often the consumer information available via the Internet or through retailers is misleading or incorrect.  Additionally, there is some controversy about which methods achieve the best results.  We would like to provide the most recent and factual information so that the newly married couple can make the best choice when preserving the gown as a family heirloom.

How should my gown be cleaned?

The manufacturer is required by law to provide accurate care labels and cleaners are responsible for using a cleaning method compatible with those recommendations.  However, many care labels are incorrect and the actual cleaning method used should be left to a responsible professional who has specialized training.  Properly preserving the vast varieties of fabrics and beads is an extremely complex procedure which requires substantial expertise that may be beyond that of an ordinary drycleaner.

As soon as possible after the wedding send the gown to a specialist for cleaning.  Light exposure, atmospheric gases, and oxidation begin to affect the gown immediately.  Just as an apple turns brown from oxidation, so will a sugar stain on your gown.  Many stains can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove.  Heavily stained silk stain material is susceptible to reflective changes which can cause the spotted areas to look differently.

How the gown is made will effect many aspects of how it is cleaned.  Are the beads glued, or preferably, sewn into place?  Of what material are the beads, fabric, and lining made?  Was damaged caused to the integrity of the gown during wear?  If the gown has glass beading with nickel reflecting coating inside, the metal may turn black.  Tarnishing is not caused by the cleaning process, but is a natural occurrence not unlike what is commonly seen with silver.

How will my gown be preserved?

Museums commonly store vintage pieces in either acid-free polypropylene containers or totally acid-free cardboard boxes.  However, it is very important that completely acid-free material be used because acid damages fabrics.  Sometimes box manufacturers use the term acid-free, when in actuality, the corrugated cardboard construction contains ordinary acidic materials sandwiched between pH neutral paper.  According to Cynthia Schillig, National Training Director for the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, "Only completely acid-free materials will remain safe over time to protect the integrity of the gown."

There has been a lot of discussion on the Internet warning against windows on heirloom boxes because the plastic might actually be a cause of yellowing.  It is true that ordinary plastics can cause yellowing and most inexpensive boxes have plastic windows.  There are, however, more expensive completely acid-free boxes made with polypropylene windows to eliminate this problem.  Be certain to ask which type of box your potential heirloomer uses.  Having a lid over the window is an important feature to keep the gown protected from light exposure.

Is blue tissue paper the safest?

It is a myth that blue tissue is safe.  Blue tissue paper is dyed and not acid-free.  If the tissue gets wet, it will bleed dye on your gown.  Blue tissue paper should NEVER be used for heirlooming.

Should the box be sealed?

Whether or not you choose a sealed or non-sealed method of preservation is a matter of personal choice.  Museums do not seal their boxes.  It is very unlikely your gown will be stored in a museum and you may have different issues to consider:  During the life of your gown will there be the possibility of bugs, children, or even you, entering the box and causing damage?

If I decide on a sealed box, what type of sealing method would be best?

For many years some heirloomers have used shrink-wrapping also commonly referred to as "vacuum" sealing.  Currently some heirloomers that shrink-wrap boxes also promote the idea of replacing the oxygen with an inert gas such as nitrogen.  While this looks and sound professional, other factors should be considered.  According to Normal Oehlke, a drycleaning industry icon and former chief analyst for the International Fabricare Institute, "You cannot vacuum seal a cardboard box.  It requires a steel or glass container that cannot breathe."  Anyone that has worked with equipment maintaining an oxygen free environment knows this to be true.

Sally Lorensen Conant, Ph.D., a former museum curator, Master Wedding Vendor, and President of Orange Restoration labs, says, "Shrink-wrapping traps moisture and has been shown to create an environment that has an electrostatic charge.  The combination can over time cause mildew and permanent wrinkles in the fabric.  Fabric is best stored in an environment where it can breathe."

Sealing a completely acid-free box with tape is a tried and true method of securing the container while allowing the gown to breathe.

Note:  This article was written by Mr. Bruce Baldwin, owner of Timecapsule Heirloomers in Austin, Texas, who provides our gown preservation services.  He is a past president of both the Southwest Drycleaners Association, and the Greater Houston Cleaners and Launderers Association.  He is a member and graduate of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists.