Arcare...for the things you care for

Prior to storing your wedding dress it is important to identify any damage it might have so that the damage does not continue. You may require specialist advice from a textile conservator before taking further action. You can find a textile conservator by searching free of charge online at www.conservationregister.com

It is also important to ensure your wedding dress is clean before storing, the dress should be dry, free from moisture, dust and dirt. If stains remain on the dress during storage they could become permanent. If you choose to dry clean your dress before storing it we suggest you seek the advice of a specialist in dry cleaning.

One easy step to take is to ensure that wedding dresses are kept in a suitable environment, we suggest that you do not keep dresses in rooms such as basements, garages or attics where conditions are unstable, damp and cold. Also we suggest that you keep wedding dresses away from direct sunlight because UV rays will cause fading and yellowing.

For long term storage of your wedding dress you should not use plastic covers, this is because the acids in the plastic may react with the wedding dress and result in yellowing. Also plastic covers let in light that will fade the material. Wedding dresses should not be hung, the weight of the dress will stress the seams and the dress will become misshapen.

Arcare offers a range of acid free textile boxes (product code 735-4118B) for safe archival storage, it is important to have an adequate sized box. If the box is too small the contents will be creased, but too big and the dress will move to freely within the box. For lining the box and wrapping the dress Arcare offers acid free unbuffered tissue paper (product code 741-1015). Do not use coloured tissue paper because the dye in the paper may react with the dress it is covering.

Once your wedding dress has been stored it should be checked annually, so any damage can be identified and the dress can be checked for stains and creases. When handling the dress your hands should be clean or white cotton gloves should be worn (product code 837-600M), this will prevent dirt or body oils coming into contact with the dress. After checking repack carefully.