Conservation and Scientific Services for Textiles

Officer’s dress coat, 1812
Officer’s dress coat, 1812.

Before treatment / After treatment Colours of the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion
Before treatment / After treatment Colours of the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion.

CCI staff use polarizing microscopes for fibre identification
CCI staff use polarizing microscopes for fibre identification.

The Institute offers a wide range of services in the field of textile conservation and research:

Treatment

CCI offers an interdisciplinary approach to the conservation treatment of historic textiles including:

  • painted textiles (flags and banners)
  • costumes and costume accessories (hats, shoes, etc.)
  • archaeological textiles
  • ethnographic textiles
  • oversized textiles (hangings, tapestries)

Training

Training seminars and workshops, with hands-on components, are customized to suit needs. Training may be interdisciplinary as required, and topics include:

  • care of textiles
  • adhesives used in textile conservation
  • dyeing for textile conservation
  • cleaning historic textiles
  • construction of mannequins for historic costumes

CCI also provides many types of internships to suit people at different stages of their careers.

Advisory and On-site Consulting Services

  • preventive conservation
  • museum planning
  • transportation of works of art
  • storage and display materials and environment
  • surveys of collections and facilities
  • on-site infrared spectroscopic analysis
  • emergency preparedness planning

Analysis and Testing

  • lightfastness testing using artificial light
  • fibre analysis and identification
  • pH analysis of textiles
  • identification and analysis of components of textile artifacts (adhesives, consolidants, paints, etc.)
  • analysis of natural dyes
  • determination of silk degradation
  • determination of cellulose degradation
  • colour measurements and monitoring

Research

  • characterization of silk degradation
  • effects of wet cleaning on cotton and linen
  • effects of stain removal methods on historic textiles
  • use of enzymes

Specialized Procedures and Equipment

  • colour measurements
  • Atlas Launder-Ometer for dyeing
  • Atlas Weather-Ometer for artificial light ageing
  • environmental chambers for artificial heat and humidity ageing
  • oversized low suction table for washing large textiles
  • ultrasonic mister
  • freeze-drying for emergency situations
  • parylene coating for consolidation of fragile textiles