Conservation

Storing and Displaying Civil War Uniforms and Textiles

Original Civil War textiles are some of the rarest material in the field and some of the easiest to damage. Wool, silk, cotton and linen that have lasted well over a century can be weakened in a few years by a wire hanger, a sunny room or a plastic bag in a damp closet. This guide covers sensible storage and display for coats, trousers, caps, sashes, shirts and smaller textiles. It is general, conservative guidance. Anything fragile, important or showing active damage deserves a textile conservator.

Why Civil War textiles are so vulnerable

Textiles are organic, and they degrade from the inside out. Light breaks down fibers and dyes. Heat and humidity speed chemical decay. Gravity pulls on weak areas when a garment hangs. Wool and silk are food for insects. Old repairs, stains and residues from previous storage may already have weakened the fabric. And silk, used in sashes, linings and some flags, can become brittle and split along lines of stress.

What survives often looks sturdier than it is. A coat that seems fine to the touch may have weakened seams, embrittled lining or thread that has lost strength. That is why the safest assumption is that every original textile is more fragile than it appears.

Document before you store

Before any garment goes into a box, record it. Photographs and notes protect the evidence of what it is and where it came from, and they mean you will not need to unpack it every time someone asks a question.

• Overall photos of the front, back and both sides, plus the inside and lining.
• Close-ups of buttons (front and back if visible), labels, inspector or contractor stamps, name or unit markings, and any insignia.
• Construction details: hand or machine stitching, linings, pockets, collar and cuff construction.
• Damage and repairs: holes, moth damage, old darns, replaced buttons, alterations.
• Provenance: who owned it, what paperwork exists, where you got it.

Our guide to photographing Civil War antiques covers lighting and angles.

Storage: flat, padded and dark

For most textiles, flat storage in an archival box is the safest long-term option.

1. Choose a box large enough that the garment needs as few folds as possible. Archival textile boxes are made for this.
2. Line the box with unbuffered acid-free tissue. Many textile conservators recommend unbuffered tissue for protein fibers such as wool and silk. Washed, unbleached cotton muslin is another common lining.
3. Pad every fold. Roll tissue into soft "sausages" and place them inside each fold so the fabric curves rather than creases. Sharp folds become weak lines and eventually splits.
4. Stuff sleeves and shoulders lightly with crumpled tissue to keep their shape.
5. Interleave tissue between layers and over metal buttons and insignia, so metal does not sit directly against fabric.
6. Refold occasionally. If a garment is stored long-term, changing the fold positions now and then helps avoid permanent creases.
7. Label the outside with a catalog number and a photo of the contents so you do not have to open it to find things.

Caps and hats should be supported from inside with a padded form or crumpled tissue so the crown and visor keep their shape, and stored in their own box. Small textiles, such as ribbons, badges and patches, can be stored flat in folders or shallow trays with tissue.

Supplies: you can browse unbuffered acid-free tissue on Amazon and archival textile boxes.

To hang or not to hang

Hanging puts the whole weight of a garment on the shoulders and seams. For most Civil War textiles, the answer is: do not hang long-term.

Displaying textiles safely

Display is where most textile damage happens, because it combines light, gravity, dust and exposure. If you want to display a garment:

• Use a properly padded form. A mannequin should be smaller than the garment and padded up to fit, so nothing is stretched. Forcing a coat onto a modern mannequin strains every seam.
• Keep light low and indirect. No direct sunlight. Use UV-filtering glazing on cases and LED lighting, which gives off little UV or heat.
• Keep display periods limited. Museums commonly rotate textiles off display after a few months and rest them in dark storage. Collectors can do the same.
• Use a closed case if you can, to keep dust and insects out.
• Avoid bathrooms, kitchens, fireplaces, radiators and exterior walls.
• Use support, not pins. Small textiles can sit on a padded, fabric-covered board at a slight angle.

Many collectors display a coat's buttons, insignia or a photograph of the soldier and keep the garment itself in storage, bringing it out for occasional viewing.

Environment and pests

General guidance for mixed collections is a cool, stable environment with moderate relative humidity, roughly 40 to 55 percent, and no rapid swings. High humidity encourages mold and pests; very low humidity can make fibers brittle. A digital hygrometer in the storage area is an inexpensive way to know what you are dealing with.

Clothes moths and carpet beetles are the main pests for wool and silk. They prefer dark, undisturbed places, which is exactly where textiles are stored. Check boxes a few times a year for small holes, larvae, cast skins or frass (fine, gritty droppings). Isolate any newly acquired textile in a sealed bag in a separate area until you have checked it carefully. If you find active pests, follow our moth damage guide and talk to a conservator about treatment; methods like controlled freezing need to be done correctly to avoid harming the object.

What not to do

• Do not wash, dry clean, steam or iron an original textile. These can shrink wool, set stains, dissolve finishes and destroy evidence.
• Do not "freshen" a garment with sprays, fabric fresheners or perfume.
• Do not replace missing buttons or sew on insignia to "complete" a garment. If there is a period button in a bag, keep it in the bag and record it.
• Do not remove old repairs, labels or markings. They may be period evidence.
• Do not wear an original. It is tempting for reenactors, but even a short wear can split seams.

Light surface dust can sometimes be removed by a conservator with low-suction vacuuming through a screen; this is best learned from a professional. The American Institute for Conservation's "Find a Conservator" directory lists textile specialists by region.

If you collect textiles, studying honestly described examples helps you judge construction and condition. Compare original Civil War uniform listings on eBay, officer sashes and sold kepi listings, and read descriptions skeptically. Reproductions made for reenactors are common, well-made and sometimes resold without disclosure.