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**jani_tiainen** · 12-03-2013, 03:20 AM

You have to be careful with the type of plastic you use. PVC is not recommended and you should use PP type or similar.

If you store medals for a longer period inside PVC there will be green verdigris on them and it is very difficult to remove.

Jani

Originally posted by willow View Post

Greetings:

With regard to decorations and badges what is the best method for storage?

At the moment I keep them individually stored in plastic sleeves. These sleeves are often used by dealers and are roughly 3x1 inches in size.

Is the preservation of the item OK using this type of storage ?

I don't display my collection a good storage medium is important.

Thanks, WilloW

**willow** · 12-03-2013, 04:01 AM

Thanks Jani for your advice.

I am guessing, but I'd assume the clear plastic sleeves that you often see decorations sold are not the best type of plastic to use. I'll make some inquires to where I can purchase some PP plastic. Best, WilloW

**willow** · 12-24-2013, 05:56 PM

Is this sleev made from PVC ?

Greetings

These are the envelopes I have been storing many of my badges in.

I am afraid they maybe made from PVC; therefore, have removed all items from the sleeves while I seek a replacement sleeve type.

Can anyone tell me if these sleeves (attached image) are made from PVC ?? There are no markings on the sleeve

Thank you, WilloW

Attached Files

pvc cover.jpg (160.5 KB, 369 views)

**Paul R.** · 12-24-2013, 11:37 PM

Originally posted by willow View Post

Greetings:

With regard to decorations and badges what is the best method for storage?

At the moment I keep them individually stored in plastic sleeves. These sleeves are often used by dealers and are roughly 3x1 inches in size.

Is the preservation of the item OK using this type of storage ?

I don't display my collection a good storage medium is important.

Thanks, WilloW

There have been several postings on this topic including pinned articles. Please conduct a WAF search on the topic. Keep in mind it's not only the storage method you choose, but also humidity levels. Again research on the WAF is key to more knowledge.
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**willow** · 12-25-2013, 12:20 AM

plastic sleeve material type - PVC or PP ?

Hi Paul

Thanks for your helpful reply.

Yes there has been several postings and after spending over an hour searching I could not find a thread that determined the plastic type in my image - which is what my question related to.

I have been told that the plastic is PP by a dealer; however, I don't think this is correct (he sold the sleeves to me sometime back).

This is why I asked specific question regarding the sleeve in the photograph to what type of plastic it is made from. I was hoping another member may now the material from experience.

Season Greetings. Cheers, WilloW

**BROBS** · 12-25-2013, 01:07 AM

I believe those are PVC.

I have had good luck using regular zip-lock type bags.
I figure they are safe for food.. why not badges/medals?

As long as the pieces are stored properly.. even those packets you posted would be fine I'm sure.

good luck on your search.. you will find many varying opinions.
-Brian

**willow** · 12-25-2013, 01:47 AM

Thanks Brian for confirming they are made from PVC as I suspected.

Zip lock bags are a good idea and is something I will be investigating as I believe they are mostly made from other material and not PVC. Mylar is best; but they are open at the end and not zip lockable.

Humidity and heat is not a problem in my area (luckily)

Season Greetings, WilloW

**Paul R.** · 12-25-2013, 09:52 AM

It always best to research a product and company of manufacturing first. I usually find that I trust my own research more that the store personal selling that product. I found in my years of conservation many items like the one you posted here can come from all over the world having many different archival and PVC standards. Just because it’s marked archival doesn’t always mean to US standards.

Food storage bags are designed for food not long term archival storage. Most people usually do not store food in the longer than a couple of months if that, and the food bag is discarded. Food standards are different than archival standards. Food storage bags do change in composition over time. Just because food bags are cheap and readily available doesn’t make them archival. If that food safe bag system would be so great. Many museums where I work would be flooded with ziploc baggies instead of archival storage devices. Sorry but that ain't the case!

Please do your own internet web research on safe storage bags, and draw your own conclusions on what to do.. We collectors spend hours researching battles, clothing, military stats etc. and next to nothing on how to keep your items safe. Archival and safe storage is not for everybody and that okay. It's best to draw your own conclusions from your own research. By the time I wrote this response. I could have found a lot of archival information out there to draw my conclusion on... Sometimes It's a good idea to step away from the WAF and research in other areas too.

Of course these items are your to do with whatever you see fit to do with them. Good Luck
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**willow** · 12-25-2013, 04:54 PM

Thanks Paul.

Anyone that only looks at a forum for information in entirety is misguided in my opinion. I have been searching outside WHF. Needless to say the amount of information is overwhelming, not too mention some of it probably suspect and not to US standards. This is where someone knowledgeable chimes in if they know of a reliable seller or product suitable for such products. I would like to think that most people would draw there own conclusions and not blindly follow..

I am thinking of MYLAR bags as the best option and acid and lignon free cardboard to act as a backing to keep the bag a little rigid. I'm lead to believe that cloth and photographs can also be keep safely in the same way. The badges will then me stored in a plastic sealable PP (recycle 5) container.

Now I must find a supplier that has a reasonable price in Australia.

Cheers, WilloW

**schönbeck** · 12-28-2013, 02:42 AM

The zip bags that at least I use are made of PE which is pretty much the same thing as PP, the major difference I have found is that PP can resist heat much better.

**BROBS** · 12-28-2013, 11:49 AM

Most ziploc bags are acid free... and they only start to degrade after 8-10 years.
So take that as you will. I guess I wasn't planning on anyone leaving a medal in a plastic sleeve for the rest of their life. To me the medals are for display, not a box full of plastic sleeves... so that was my mindset with my response.

-Brian

**Oscar** · 01-21-2014, 02:07 PM

Vacuum pack

Hi guys,

I spent a couple of hours on safe keeping forum and I would like to show You my way to storage badges. Its vacuum pack for food. Bought on ebay for about 7eur/pcs.

I have in one pack about 5-8 badges (between badges is cotton wool to keep distance). I dont see any bad signs on my badges so far...

Anybody have the same method of storage?

Is it safe way?

Thanks for all opinions, its very important post for me.

Regards, Rob

**Oscar** · 01-28-2014, 04:50 PM

Here is interesting experimentation with humidistat.
Inside vacuum pack (in vacuum atmosphere) humidity is lower about 20% than outside pack - its logic - less air.

Backing to my question - is it safe storage for badges?

Thanks for Your experience and knowledge.

Kind Regards, Rob

**BROBS** · 01-28-2014, 06:32 PM

I would think it would be fine for badges, however just like plastic bags those containers will degrade over time. (which some think is an issue).
I only store things in plastic like this for short periods of time while I am working on a way to display them.
If you plan on long-term storage... you would have to replace the containers every 8-10 years to be fully safe.

I wouldn't store paper or leather in such a dry environment, however.

-Brian

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