Conservation and restoration of flags and banners
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The conservation and restoration of flags and banners is the process by which conservators work to
preserve The word preserve may refer to: Common uses * Fruit preserves, a type of sweet spread or condiment * Nature reserve, an area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or other special interest, usually protected Arts, entertainment, and media ...
and restore flags and banners from future deterioration and damage. As a part of Conservation of Textiles, flag and banner conservation require the care of a skilled and well trained textile conservator, specifically trained in historical materials.


Material identification

Historical flags are often made of silk, cotton,
linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...
, or thin wool bunting. These materials were used in the making of flags, primarily in the U.S. until the mid 20th century. Forensic examination of flags, to the level of examining the fibers of the fabrics themselves, and the threads used to sew the flags, helps identify the period of the materials used and usually is a good indicator of the period of a flag (though not necessarily, in the case of a forgery). These materials can be very fragile and require advanced conservation techniques. Conservators are experts in stabilization and preservation of historic fabrics, flags may be in a variety of conditions from good condition to tattered fragments. Silk and wool are protein fibers whereas cotton and linen are vegetable fibers. The process by which they deteriorate will vary greatly and needs to be carefully addressed during conservation and preservation. Nowadays many flags are made of a synthetic blend or nylon materials, which have their own unique requirements for preservation and care.


Common causes of damage

Flag condition often relates to their usage during the war, so some of the most historically significant examples show the greatest damage. However, flags were not limited to damage from war, such as bullet holes or blood stains – which have specific treatments themselves – but also damage from natural elements such as wind, light exposure, temperature, humidity and pest infestation. * Wind damage: The mechanical action of wind forces and exposure to environmental effects can cause damage to the filament and is characterized by splitting. Visual characteristics of wind damage include fraying and even shredding in high winds. * Light exposure: Too much light speeds deterioration of textiles. Historic textiles, such as flags and banners should be protected from excessive light levels, and especially from sunlight and fluorescent light, which contain high amounts of ultraviolet radiation – which is the most harmful form of light. Signs of Light damage can include a brittleness of the material, overall color change of the fabric or yellowing/ browning of the textile. * Temperature and humidity fluctuations: Both mechanisms of decay for objects can be attributed to either too low or too high of a temperature, too high of humidity, or too much fluctuation between temperatures or humidity levels. *
Pests PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...
: There are many types of pests, from insects to small mammals such as
rodents Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are nat ...
that can infest an organic collection of all types. In particular, these pests can colonize textiles and cause irreparable damage. Other examples of the types of pests that can afflict historical flags and banners include cloth
moths Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
and
carpet beetles Carpet beetle may refer to any of several taxa of beetles: *some genera of the Dermestidae, a beetle family, including: **genus ''Attagenus'' ***black carpet beetle, ''Attagenus unicolor'' *** brown carpet beetle, ''Attagenus smirnovi'' ***''Att ...
. It is important to be vigilant of possible signs of infestation and to take preemptive measures to ensure infestation and damage does not occur. Professionals charged with the care and preservation of collections work to develop and enforce Integrated Pest Management plans (IPM) to ensure proper steps are taken to protect historic items such as flags and banners.


Common treatments and handling

* Cleaning – While many people have experience cleaning everyday textiles, cleaning historical textiles is different. Conservators approach cleaning historic textiles like flags and banner very carefully as each cleaning process can create a little damage. They must weigh the pros and cons of each method carefully before proceeding. Damage such as dyes bleeding, seams shrinking or finishes being lost can occur in the cleaning process. * Vacuuming – also referred to as surface cleaning. This method is employed by conservators when trying to remove surface dirt. Carefully vacuuming the textile on a low suction, conservators will sometimes use a screen to prevent individual fibers from getting sucked up and lost in the vacuum. This method is considered least invasive and often very successful. * Wet cleaning – or washing is a more invasive cleaning method, and one that conservators may be hesitant to use without proper review of the textile. Wet cleaning, or washing is an irreversible process, and can cause significant damage. In particular, commercial detergents and other chemicals can increase the rate of deterioration. * Pest control-prevention is better than cure. In order to develop and implement an Integrated pest management (IPM) strategy it is important understand and recognize some of the key components of successful pest control. #Avoid pests – Keep the area clean a clear of clutter and inspect often. #Prevent pest colonization – follow routine pest management. If pest infestation occurs it is important to act fast by following the IPM plan and consulting a trusted pest control professional. If individual pieces are attacked it is important to isolate them immediately in a plastic bag or sealed between to sheets of plastic and tape and then proceed with the IPM. #Recognize pests – what kind of infestation do you have? #Assess the pest problem – how pervasive is the problem? #Solve the pest problem – follow the IPM and consult a pest control professional #Review IMP procedure


Storage

It is important to consider proper textile storage in the design plan of your storage facility. This room should have limited access, in the interior of the building, with no exposure to outside light, temperature controlled, and properly installed monitoring equipment. Like other organic materials, textiles can deteriorate very quickly under fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. Flags and banner are no exception to this so proper storage is critical in preservation. * Flat storage – Flat storage mats are constructed of corrugated cardboard with a window opening that should be slightly large than the textile object. Textiles should be wrapped in neutral pH tissue. This flat mats can then be stored in flat acid free boxes. * Rolled storage – Flat textiles that are in good condition and in good strength can be rolled up and stored in tubes. The length of the textile tube is determined by the width of the textile. Textiles should be inter-leafed by neutral pH tissue paper and the textile secured in the tube. Textile tubes should then be stored in flat boxes made of acid free corrugated cardboard. * Mounted storage – historic flags and banners are also mounted for display and storage. It is important to keep in mind the condition of the flag prior to placing it in mounted storage.


References

{{Cultural Conservation-Restoration , state=expanded Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage Flag practices Textiles Textile techniques