Textile Restoration & Conservation

CONSERVATION – all measures and actions aimed at safeguarding tangible cultural heritage while ensuring its accessibility to present and future generations. Conservations embraces preventive conservation and remedial conservation. All measures and actions should respect the significance and the physical properties of the cultural heritage item. They do not modify their appearance.

PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION – all measures and actions aimed at avoiding and minimizing future degradations and loss. They are carried out within the context or on the surroundings of items. These measures and actions are indirect, they do not interfere with the materials of the items. (measures for storage, handling, packing, transportation, security, environmental management-light, humidity, pollution and pest control-, public awareness etc.)

REMEDIAL CONSERVATION – all actions directly applied to an item aimed at arresting current damaging or reinforcing their structure (consolidation of weaken textiles, disinfestation of textile etc.)

RESTORATION – all actions directly applied to a stable item aimed at facilitating its appreciation, understating and use. They are based on the respect of the original material. Most ofen  such actions modify  the appearance of the item. Restoration of textiles is the actual replacement of missing material, employing the original techniques of manufacture. Reweaving, re-knotting, and re-stitching of textiles such as tapestries, rugs, quilts and samplers is available.