- \n
- Polyester<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Polyethylene<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Polypropylene<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Bad for Storage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do not<\/strong> use plastics labeled PVC, vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride in your archive. They off-gas and will harm your collections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Polyester<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Polyester, also known by brand names Melinex and Mylar, is the top choice plastic enclosure among many archives. It is the clearest, most inert, dimensionally stable, and rigid of the three approved plastics. Polyester has the highest melting point. It is also the most expensive of them. One drawback of polyester is that it can generate static electricity which attracts dust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"5](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
<\/a>5 x 7 Polyester Side Loading Print Sleeve with a vintage 5 x 7 photograph. Polyester is the clearest and most inert of the archival plastics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Our Polyester Products<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Polyester Side Loading Print Sleeves<\/a> – 3 mil uncoated Melinex 516. One-piece construction with a flap-edge seal provides easy access and secure closure. Sleeves are slightly larger in both dimensions so that standard print sizes will fit properly. Please note that there is very little leeway on these sleeves regarding size. An 8 x 10 negative fits just right. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Polyester Slide Lock Film Sleeves<\/a> – same as above but sized for storing negatives and positives – 35mm, medium format, and 4×5 film (note: do not use plastic enclosures to store nitrate or older acetate safety film negatives)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Film Interleaving Folders<\/a> – same material as above, but a different design. These are only sealed along one short edge in 4×5 and 5×7 sizes. Recommended for use in conjunction with Open End Envelopes<\/a>, inserting the open end of the folder first to protect against dust.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 3-Ring Page Protectors<\/a> – for use in 3-Ring Binders, these pages are the same material and design as the side loading print sleeves. The difference is they have 3-ring binder holes punched along the flap side and come with a buffered, acid-free paper insert in them. Available in two sizes – 9″ W x 11″ H and 10″ W x 11″ H. Both sizes will fit inside of our standard Collector Grade Binders<\/a> and all of our Binder Boxes<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clear File Boxes<\/a> – we sell these polyester boxes to store batches of 4 x 6 photos or postcards. You can include a reference photo on top or a piece of archival paper<\/a> with notes about the contents of each box. Please note that they ship flat but are easy to assemble.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clear Print Mounting Strips<\/a> – to add extra support when matting large prints<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Polyester Side Loading Sleeve (open) with vintage black and white 8 x 10 wedding photo. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Polypropylene<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Polypropylene, when in a sleeve format, is the next closest plastic to polyester when it comes to clarity and rigidity. It is also used to make Binder Pages<\/a>, but for this use it is in a softer form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>5 x 7″ Polypropylene 3-Sided Sleeve with a vintage cabinet card photograph partially inserted to illustrate the clearness of these sleeves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Our Polypropylene Products<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 3 Sided Sleeves<\/a> – open on one short side with no flap. Made of 1.5 mil Polypropylene, they have excellent clarity, low electrostatic charge, and are safe for long-term storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Crystal Clear Archival Bags<\/a> – same material as the 3-sided sleeves but they include a resealable flap for extra protection. The adhesive is on the bag rather than the flap, which reduces the chances of damaging your artwork when you are removing or inserting it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Polypropylene Slide Lock Film Sleeves<\/a> – for storing negatives – 35mm, medium format, and 4×5 film (note: do not use plastic enclosures to store nitrate or older acetate safety film negatives)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Print and Slide Pages<\/a> – for use in 3-Ring Binders, these top-loading polypropylene pages come in many sizes. They are made of high clarity, archivally-safe polypropylene. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clear Mounting Corners<\/a> – Mounting Corners are available in polypropylene. The high-quality pressure-sensitive adhesive does not come in contact with the document or photo being mounted. Available in several sizes in full and cut-back styles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Polyethylene<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Polyethylene bags are transparent but are not as clear as the polyester and polypropylene ones. It is a softer, more flexible plastic. High Density (HD) Polyethylene is cloudier than the standard polyethylene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>4 x 6 Polyethylene “Poly” Bag holding a stack of modern color 4 x 6 photos. Polyethylene is softer and more supple but also slightly less clear than the polypropylene and polyester enclosures. A 4 x 6 Poly Bag can hold up to sixty 4 x 6 prints.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Our Polyethylene Products<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Polyethylene Bags<\/a> – these poly bags are manufactured from uncoated, chemically inert 2 mil polyethylene. The 2 mil bags strike a balance between strength and clarity. All poly bags except the 3-1\/2 x 5-1\/2 size have a flap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- HD Poly Envelopes<\/a> – High Density Polyethylene Envelopes are semi-transparent with a frosted appearance. The anti-static qualities of the HDPE reduce the risk of scratching or abrasion from entrapped dust particles. HD polyethylene is one of the few plastic sheet materials with no slip agents added to the surface. Other polyethylene, polyester and polypropylene materials need slip agents to prevent the plastic from sticking to itself in rolls or sheets. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>4 x 5 High Density (HD) Polyethylene Envelope with vintage photograph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Plastic vs Paper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now that you know about the different plastic storage options available, lets compare them to archival paper envelopes. Some archivists use plastic sleeves while others prefer archival interleaving paper<\/a> and envelopes<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>5 x 7 Open-End Envelope with sepia toned photograph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Plastic Enclosures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- clear so you can see contents easily which means less handling<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- protects from oils and fingerprints during handling<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- not easy to write on<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- can trap gases and moisture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Paper Enclosures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- requires more handling to view the contents <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- doesn’t protect from the oils on your hands which are damaging to photos, handle contents with gloves<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- it breathes and protects from buildup of moisture and gases inside the enclosure<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- protects from light<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- easier to write on than plastic sleeves (only write on enclosures before inserting contents!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- paper is better for the environment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Paper Binder Pages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We offer a binder page option for people who would prefer not to use plastic pages. We use archival, acid-free, buffered Card Stock<\/a> to make 3-Hole Mounting Pages<\/a>. They are available in white, gray, and black with the white being the heaviest weight paper (290 gsm), gray being the middle weight (210 gsm), and black being the thinnest (148 gsm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are available in three sizes – 10″W x 11″H for any of our standard binders, 9-1\/2″W x 14″H for Legal Binders<\/a>, and 8″W x 11″H for our Narrow Binders<\/a>. These pages do not have any adhesive on them so you need to use something to attach your photos or memorabilia to the pages. We recommend a reversible product such as archival Photo Corners<\/a> or E-Z Dots<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The bags and sleeves are designed to hold many common sizes and will usually accommodate a backing board for added support. White Card Stock<\/a> is a popular archival backing board as it is stiffer than paper but thinner and less expensive than 2-ply Matboard<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>5 x 7 Crystal Clear Bag with 5 x 7 Card Stock Insert which adds support and provides space to write relevant information about the photograph.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Available Sizes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Finding the proper sizes for your collection can be daunting. We’ve created this chart so you can see all the sleeve and bag options in one place: Size Chart for Plastic Sleeves & Bags<\/a>. Here is the chart of Archival Paper Envelope Styles and Sizes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Blog Posts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Archival 3-Ring Binder Pages and Inserts<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How to Choose the Right Enclosure<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Additional Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- NEDCC: Care and Handling of Photographs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- NEDCC: Storage Containers for Photographs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Conservation & Art Materials Encyclopedia Online – Polyethylene<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- CAME<\/a>O – Polypropylene<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Storage & H<\/a>ousing of Archival Collections<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Paper vs Plastic<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- National Archives: Family Archives: General Guidance<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This blog post looks at plastic as an element in archival storage. It covers which plastics are archival and which ones are not. We’ll go…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23273,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[376],"tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-23020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-storage"],"yoast_head":"\n
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- NEDCC: Storage Containers for Photographs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How to Choose the Right Enclosure<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Archival 3-Ring Binder Pages and Inserts<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- HD Poly Envelopes<\/a> – High Density Polyethylene Envelopes are semi-transparent with a frosted appearance. The anti-static qualities of the HDPE reduce the risk of scratching or abrasion from entrapped dust particles. HD polyethylene is one of the few plastic sheet materials with no slip agents added to the surface. Other polyethylene, polyester and polypropylene materials need slip agents to prevent the plastic from sticking to itself in rolls or sheets. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Crystal Clear Archival Bags<\/a> – same material as the 3-sided sleeves but they include a resealable flap for extra protection. The adhesive is on the bag rather than the flap, which reduces the chances of damaging your artwork when you are removing or inserting it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Polyester Slide Lock Film Sleeves<\/a> – same as above but sized for storing negatives and positives – 35mm, medium format, and 4×5 film (note: do not use plastic enclosures to store nitrate or older acetate safety film negatives)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Polyester Side Loading Print Sleeves<\/a> – 3 mil uncoated Melinex 516. One-piece construction with a flap-edge seal provides easy access and secure closure. Sleeves are slightly larger in both dimensions so that standard print sizes will fit properly. Please note that there is very little leeway on these sleeves regarding size. An 8 x 10 negative fits just right. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"5](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/32-106-5x7-side-loading-sleeve-group-photo-BLOG.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/32-107-8x10-wedding-photo-Side-Loading-Sleeve-archival-methods.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Cabinet](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/390-57-cabinet-card-archival-methods.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Stack](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/35-203-4-x-6-poly-bags-with-60-photos-BLOG.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/34-306-HD-poly-envelope-anniversary-archival-methods.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Reproduction](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20-002-open-end-envelopes-vintage-print-BLOG.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Vintage](\"https:\/\/blog.archivalmethods.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/86-0507-clear-bag-card-stock-woman-archival-methods.jpg\")
<\/a>