ANTIQUE CLOTHING CARE

Info based on reputable sources: Conservator of costume & textile at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Curator of costume collection at Museum of New York; Curator of Costume Institute of metropolitan Museum of Art.

     Given the proper care, handling antique clothing maintains its luster.

     Recently a young bride-to-be was given a beautiful white cotton voile dress, circa 1900.  In her rush to restore it to a pristine white she immersed it into a bleaching solution.  To her horror the dress turned yellowish-green, and so did her dreams of wearing it on her wedding day.  The moral of this story is to never ever use any of the modern detergents on vintage garments.  The restoration, cleaning and rehabilitation of clothing from past eras requires, in most cases, very special care and handling.  But it's worth it!

     There are many different methods of conservation.  Conservators of textiles or clothing at a museum, for example, will handle garments one way~because their purpose is different.  Museums usually approach a collection as a work of art and would frown upon what the collector might do.

     There are specific methods you can use to restore clothing and revitalize it for everyday wear.  And that's why we bought it on eBay, right?  These recommendations are based on information from three sources: conservator of costume and textile for the Edward C. Blum collection of the Design Laboratory at the Fashion Institute of Technology; Curator of the costume collection at the Museum of the City of ew York and the assistant curator and associate conservator of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Cleaning and Restoring

     Garments should be cleaned before wearing them.  That doesn't mean each item should be laundered or dry cleaned if it is in mint condition, but it can be vacuumed to remove dust that has settled in.  Just as they do at the museums, you can use a hand vacuum cleaner.

    If the item has beading or sequins be sure to use a screen in between the dress and vacuum, because if any of the decoration is loose the machine will draw it off as well.  Buy a nylon screen of fine netting, and be sure to have bound edges to avoid any brittle points damaging the cloth.

     Next, consider stains.  If the fabric is silk or wool it is important to know if the stain is grease or dirt.  The best policy is not to attempt to remove the stain yourself.  You need the services of a good dry cleaner.

Laundering

     Beautiful Victorian cottons and vintage linens are particularly romantic looking and collectible.  Remember, however, these lovely antiquities are no longer replaceable and their restoration requires the utmost care and patience.

    Back to the wedding dress story.  Yes, dreams can come true if you launder fabrics with the delicacy and consideration you might give a newborn baby.

     Water can often be a problem. Deionized water is best.  Buy litmus paper and test the water first. It will indicate the acidity of the water.  For best results in washing, number 7 is the ideal register on the litmus paper.  Anything above that is not good, nor is a lower reading.  Litmus paper can be purchased in drugstores.

     As for the solution in which to wash garments, one of the best preparations available to private collectors is a natural detergent called Orvus which doesn't yellow the fabric.  Rinse the garment several times to be sure to remove any traces of the detergent.  Woolite is also an acceptable solution.

     Vintage sewing patterns using modern fabrics is an idea discovered by many vintage pattern collectors.   Janet's   is one of the excellent eBay sellers to find vintage patterns circa 1930's through 1970's.

Please take a moment to vote ... and then have a peek in Janet's!