Learn About Textiles

Light can fade and degrade textiles as they age. Humidity can cause mould growth and break down the fibres. Dirt and liquids can stain them easily. Moths and other insects eat woollen garments and damage any adjacent materials in the process, both natural and synthetic. Poor storage can cause textiles to stretch out of shape, causing permanent structural damage.

The work of the conservation department can be found throughout the Museum but it can be hard to spot because it’s done behind-the-scenes. Our Conservator is responsible for the care and safekeeping of the objects in our collection, as well as any pieces we are displaying that have been loaned to us. This is achieved through a variety of methods including monitoring the environment inside the Museum, adjusting light levels for textiles in the galleries, and using display methods that are safe for every piece.

Conservation tasks help us keep our textiles in the best condition possible but sometimes treatment is required. When this happens, we use stable, archival materials that will help increase the textile’s longevity without sacrificing the integrity of the object.

We also strive to improve the storage of our collection and have recently undertaken several projects to upgrade storage of textiles with challenging care requirements. As these are done behind-the-scenes we are finding new ways to share this information with our visitors including highlighting the role of conservation in our galleries, social media, and blog posts.

We receive conservation inquiries from visitors who want to learn how to take care of their own textiles. A rare antique collectable, a treasured family heirloom, a favourite item of clothing or home décor–all have challenges to safe care. We also receive requests for information about general museum conservation. We have collected some of our favourite resources for our visitors. This list should not be considered exhaustive:

The Canadian Conservation Institute is a federal institution that has a variety of information related to museum conservation and preservation on their website. Specifically, CCI Notes are small bulletins that discuss a variety of object care issues, from how to properly roll textiles to the effects of the environment on historical objects.

The National Parks Service in the United States has a similar resource called Conserve O Grams. If you are looking for more specific information or are interested in how museums care for their objects, have a look at the NPS Museum Handbook, Part 1: Museum Collections.

The Costume Committee for the international conservation body ICOM has compiled an excellent web workbook covering many aspects of caring for and working with costume, lace, and other textiles. It is also a good resource to assist you if you are trying to identify a piece of “mystery” clothing you have inherited that you’re not sure how to look after it.

There are several useful books subject conservation, ranging from beginner’s guides to from to texts containing in-depth information on textile conservation. A few examples include:

Preserving Textiles: A Guide for the Nonspecialist by Harold F. Mailand and Dorothy Stites Alig. Published by the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

The Textile Conservator’s Manual, Second Ed. By Sheila Landi. Published by Butterworth-Heinemann.

Unravelling Textiles: A Handbook for the Preservation of Textile Collections by A. Brokerhof, Foekje Boersma, and S. Van Den Berg. Published by Archetype Books.

Laundry: The Whys and Hows of Cleaning Clothes by Robert Doyle. Published by Sartorial Press.

Some of these titles are available for reference in the Museum’s H.N. Pullar Library or are for sale in the Museum Shop.

Are you looking for a trained professional to perform work on an antique textile in your own collection? Do you have a rare carpet that requires careful cleaning? Unsure where to buy archival supplies to store your precious piece in? Curious how old the textile you recently inherited is, and if it’s valuable? Although we can’t verify the work of the individuals and companies listed below, we have collected their contact information in one place to assist our visitors.