In a Box

Boxes may be attractive to Curator Cats . . .

. . . But they are even better for clothes!

But not all boxes were created equal. Above, Frankie is inside the cardboard shipping box that held an archival clothing box and packing supplies like tissue paper. What’s the difference? Archival boxes are made without using materials that will damage clothes over time. We’re talking decades or even (hopefully) centuries!

Storing your historic clothing (or clothing that you hope will be important to future generations, like your wedding clothes) in archival materials has benefits:

• it protects the clothes from chemical discoloration or dye transfer

• it protects from damage by staples, tape, etc (notice how the tape at the bottom of the shipping box is visible above!)

• archival boxes come in a variety of sizes and shapes meant for storing clothes with minimal folds or wrinkles

• they also help protect against water damage, as well as—

• sunlight protection!

• bug protection! (though checking every once in a while is still a good idea!)

• and the big one—dust and dirt protection!

Investing in archival storage supplies is a big help for future researchers or descendants. And when you get that shipping box, it’ll make a great cat hideaway, too!