Storing fabric - desperate husband seeks advice

Hi

Please help me - marriage at stake!

We have recently had some cupboards built to store my dear wife's fabric collection. The problem is that the cupboards are against an external wall which can get cool. There is a risk of damp, which could lead to fabric damage. I can install ventilation and even heaters in the cupboards, but I wondered if either of the following would be a good solution.

a) Storing the fabric in air tight plastic bags on the cupboard shelves. You can get large 'vacuum bags' for clothes which are designed to have the air sucked out, but I guess they could also be used simply as air-tight containers without actually pumping the air out.

b) As above, but using plastic boxes (large thin ones) with decent air-tight lids.

If anyone has alternative solutions I would also love to hear them.

Many thanks

Steve

Reply to
Steve
Loading thread data ...

I keep all of my fabric in large plastic bins with the 'flap' tops. There is some air circulation, which is important, as I often open the bins to getsomething out or to rearrange the contents. I've never used those fabric bags, or air tight containers, as I worry about trapping moisture in them.

A quick GOOGLE search came up with:

formatting link

Reply to
IMS

Archives have failed me, but I think it was Cea who wildly entertained us with the tale of the space bags. She got some, and filled them with various things: comforters, pillows, fabric (of course), and other household soft items, and removed the air from the bags. She was delighted with how they squished down and became flat little packages, which she then piled on a shelf in the bedroom closet, securely behind the closed door. Until a week or so later when she heard a terrible noise, and went into the room to find the door flung open, fat bags and splintered shelving on the floor. I don't guess you could say the bags "leaked" since nothing came out of them. But the air found a way to rush back in, causing swelling beyond what the shelf could endure.

Of course, Cea told it much better.

Reply to
Pogonip

Ahhh, I should not reply to my own post, but I found Cea's comments:

Report this message | Find messages by this author

How I wish she could come back to play with us again.

Reply to
Pogonip

Pogonip wrote:

Reply to
BEI Design

I wouldn't go the heater route. I'd hate to see all those fabrics go up in flames. Not to mention the house.

If you're worried about dampness put in a dehumidifier. Make sure your electrical is up to hours of run time.

Is the wall itself uninsulated? Have insulation blown in.

I'm going this route.

But hubby insisted that I buy the opaque version in order to prevent the sun from fading the fabrics.

By the way, the room that my sewing room is in doesn't have either heat or air conditioning. I will also be using something(s) to prevent bug damage. Cedar balls, insect traps. Unfortunately the room is not completely secure. There are holes to the outside here and there.

I have to worry more about bees, spiders, moths and the occasional bird. Dust, major dust problem. I hope I've controlled the worst of these factors by putting up 1/4" drywall over most of the holes.

Good luck, AK in PA

Reply to
AK&DStrohl

ROFLMAO. Sorry I missed it!

Reply to
Beth In Alaska

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Soft plastics like plastic bags are not good storage for fabrics for long term. Better storage is with good air circulation, and pH neutral materials. Even so, if you're a Really Nice Husband Like My Steve, you'll take everything out, refold it so it doesn't develop creases from being in the same configuration, and put it all back tidily. Ok, my Steve is nice, but not that nice.

If you're electronically inclined, you might consider instrumenting the storage with a few humidity and temperature sensors.

Seriously, can you put some insulation in the back of your new cupboards, or between the cupboard and the wall? That'll help with condensation. Cellulosics also have the problem of hysteresis with moisture gain and loss...

Don't store fabrics in cardboard or against wooden shelves, especially not cellulosics like cotton, linen or rayon. Tyvek or polyester makes a good barrier against wooden shelves or cardboard, or you can use archival grade tissue paper -- buffered for cellulosics, unbuffered for animal fibers.

Most of my fabrics are stored in clothesbaskets with holes in their sides to help with air circulation a bit. The baskets are stacked on stainless steel shelves, and covered to prevent light damage.

This is about heirlooms rather than just "stash", but has a nice summary of some textile storage issues:

formatting link
R STORAGE

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

So true--never use cardboard boxes if storing fabric, especially in a damp area. i tried that in my last house and got silverfish. yuck! had to throw out alot of fabric.

the opaque or colored solid plastic bins are nice. keep out the creepy- crawlies and keeps the fabric dry.

amy in CNY

Reply to
amy

I think we all miss Cea. Maybe she will return one day; we can all hope the best for her in the meantime. As for storage, I use the big bins from Wal-Mart, Target or wherever, usually made by Sterlite or RubberMaid. Most are stored in my bedroom closet, and always a couple in the sewing room. Sometimes a piece of fabric that I know I'll use very soon after the pre-wash is hung on a hangar in the closet. I would not put anything in those air-tight bags or in your storage area if it is clean and dry. Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

Hi all,

Many thanks for all your useful replies. Much appreciated. Haven't yet decided on final course of action - I will inwardly digest all your advice first. Wife and fabric-stash hopefully safe.

Steve (Devon, England)

Reply to
Steve

Steve,

I'd be very concerned about the potential to start a fire if you heated the cupboard. I would think with your average house with average central heating in the UK, you shouldn't have any problems.

If you are concerned, perhaps you could add insulation in the cupboard to the house wall - perhaps that thin polystyrene you can get in rolls like wallpaper, plasterboard or some such.

You can't beat the hard plastic stacking boxes (*) for storage, easily obtained fairly cheaply - especially ASDA - 30l box for £1.60 or thereabouts - and you can buy lids for them - but I wouldn't bother! The material son sticks out of the top.

Old 4l ice cream tubs are good for storing patterns in and little things like the elastic / button / ribbon / interfacing scraps collections in. Ditto old shoe boxes

HTH, Sarah

  • - make sure they fit the shelves! Having moved house and built some shelves into a built in pre-existing cupboard, my new shelves turned out to be about 2" too short to allow me to place three boxes side by side - grrr!
Reply to
Sarah Dale

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.