Frequently Asked Questions

Question:

Is polyester the “best” material to use for storing paper products long-term?

Answer:

Yes – the problem with storing paper products in polyester (mylar) is that it has no “breathing” capabilities and sealing it is really not a good idea as moisture would be trapped inside and could potentially cause mold and mildew problems down the line. Mylar is used by museums and archives because it has 10’s of 100’s of years of life before it would break down and have to be replaced. This is a good thing for places like museums, as they could never be able to keep track of all the millions of documents they have and have to worry about replacing the sleeves before they start to deteriorate. Mylar needs to be kept in a controlled environment because of that “breathing” issue – and museums have that. Most homes do not. Desiccants need to be monitored carefully as well. They do absorb moisture, but you would need some kind of moisture gauge, as #1 if you have too much desiccant, you could make the paper brittle and cause it to start breaking down and #2 - eventually the desiccant needs replacing, as it will sooner or later have no more absorbing capabilities and stop doing the job. Moisture is a very tricky problem with paper as you can imagine. That is why polypro and polyethylene are considered good alternatives for the standard collector who is looking for a lifetime of protection for their collectibles 50-100 years. They have “breathing” properties and as long as they are not left out to absorb light, will not break down for 50-100 years.

– Marion Oyer

Question:

What's your shipping Policy?

Answer:

See our Shipping & Returns Policy Page

Question:

Why Protect What You Collect? How do you decide what storage materials to use for your collections?

Answer:

Storage supplies are an investment just like the items you purchased for your collection. You probably wonder if you should even spend the money on the supplies. Won't they be just fine if you keep them in the box they gave you at the estate sale? Maybe yes- probably no. For the few pennies you spend on protection supplies (per item) you are keeping insect infestation, water damage, sun damage, dust, dirt and finger oil damage, corner and edge crimping damage from bringing down the value of, or completely destroying your collectible. It's not to say that some of these things won't happen anyway, but the possibility is greatly diminished. You should also check your collections periodically to be sure that the environment that you stored them is still suitable. The storage environment is equally as important as the storage supplies. Most items should be stored in the same type of environment that the human body is comfortable in. To repeat the old mantra- No attics or basements!

Question:

Backing Boards- What are they good for?

Answer:

Backing boards are generally used as a stiffener for a displayed or stored collectibles such as prints, posters, comics, magazines, maps and other similiar items. They also keep the corners and edges from crimping and tearing. The quality of the backing is an important consideration that people often overlook. We stock boards that can be used for short-term, intermediate or long-term storage.

Short-term boards should only be used for quick-sell items or items of low or little value. Anything that is being put away for long-term storage, should use (minimally) an acid-free backing (intermediate)- preferably a buffered, acid-free backing (long-term). When a board is buffered, it keeps out acid for hundreds of years. The only way to tell for sure what kind of backing board is behind your collectible is to ask your dealer for the specifications- you can not tell by looking at it. People often confuse pure white boards as being "safe", but that is far from true. If you need a special size backing, we are manufacturers and can cut them to the exact you need, often as few as one hundred boards, depending on the size.

Question:

What's the difference in your Plastic material?

Answer:

This is a question people often ask concerning the poly sleeves they use for their comics, photos, vinyl records, posters, magazines and more. We stock three types of poly materials that are considered acid-free and safe for long term storage: Polyethylene, Polypropylene and Polyester. All of these materials are inert which means that there is nothing in them that can transfer to the stored item and cause damage to it. All of our poly materials have been tested by an independent lab and have passed the photo activity test which means that the material is safe for storing printed images.

The following is a synopsis that should help you to decide which material is right for you.

POLYETHYLENE: Is a bi-product of natural gas. It is a soft, clear material that has some stretch to it. It is not as clear as the other two materials listed, but does have excellent contact clarity. It comes in four different thickness. The thinner the sleeve, the higher the clarity. 3 mil is by far the most popular and generally gives the protection and clarity that is considered the standard of the industry. Our polyethylene is 100% pure virgin polyethylene.

POLYPROPYLENE: Is a very clear, high sheen, crisp material. We use bi-oriented polypropylene which mean that when the material is made, it is stretched in both directions so that over time it will not pucker (decreasing the clarity) as some polypropylenes do.

POLYESTER: Is considered the ultimate material for archival storage. It is crystal clear, semi-rigid and in acclerated tests shows no break down of the material for over one thousand years. Storing collectibles in polyester is the equivalent of using the Library of Congress archival preservation standards.

Question:

Backing Boards- What are they good for?

Answer:

Question:

Why Protect What You Collect?

Answer:

How do you decide what storage materials to use for your collections? Storage supplies are an investment just like the items you purchased for your collection. You probably wonder if you should even spend the money on the supplies. Won't they be just fine if you keep them in the box they gave you at the estate sale? Maybe yes- probably no. For the few pennies you spend on protection supplies (per item) you are keeping insect infestation, water damage, sun damage, dust, dirt and finger oil damage, corner and edge crimping damage from bringing down the value of, or completely destroying your collectible. It's not to say that some of these things won't happen anyway, but the possiblitiy is greatly diminished. You should also check your collections periodically to be sure that the environment that you stored them is still suitable. The storage environment is equally as important as the storage supplies. Most items should be stored in the same type of environment that the human body is comfortable in. To repeat the old mantra- No attics or basements!