KEEPING LIFE COLOURFUL: FABRIC CHANGES OVER TIME
As all textiles age, they slowly break down and deteriorate. The deterioration of textiles is the gradual breaking down of long chain fiber molecules into shorter chains. The result is brittleness. Other forms of natural deterioration are:
gradual loss of inherent moisture — Natural fibers come from living sources with biological functions. As they age and the structure of the fiber changes, fibers become less elastic and resilient.
effects of impurities — The presence of small amounts of metals, such as copper, can accelerate deterioration in the presence of bleaching agents, ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and moisture.
impact of manufacturing — Metallic mordant's, oils and lubricants used to facilitate the weaving process, and bleaching are some of the manufacturing processes that can contribute to the deterioration of textiles.
inherent vice — Sometimes methods of manufacture and the nature of materials cause deterioration that cannot be controlled and may not be treatable. The most striking example of inherent vice is the impact of the addition of certain metallic compounds to silks to add weight and drape to silk fabrics. These compounds bond to the silk fiber and cause their eventual splitting and powdering. Another example is the interaction of some metal threads and decorations with textiles. The natural deterioration of wool accelerates deterioration of silver metallic threads causing tarnish. The tarnish can then stain the wool.
oxidation — Fabrics are naturally degraded by the presence of oxygen. The result is an overall brownish discoloration on white or natural coloured textiles.