Re: Glassine Envelopes

I wrote:

>> Just be aware that glassine envelopes are a far cry from archival by
>> today's standards. Conservators have advised against them for at least
>> 30 years now.

Ryuji responded:

> What's the basis for this? In my understanding, "archival" glassine
> envelopes sold for photographic use these days are lignin- and
> acid-free, like other archival paper envelopes. However, I didn't
> confirm this with a glassine manufacturer. Did you?

Yes. They are, indeed, lignin and acid free (I believe good glassine
always was), but they still decompose and are hazardous to photographic
images. Light Impressions sells glassine sheets for storing magazines,
but no glassine film sleeves. They say the following about glassine:

     Our glassine is acid-free and non-buffered
     with a neutral pH. (Please note: we DO NOT
     recommend glassine for long-term photographic
     storage.)

I suppose it's possible that someone makes a "more archival" glassine
than what LI carries, but I doubt it -- my guess is that any such claims
are unsubstantiated wishful thinking. If anyone made truly archival
glassine, LI would sell it.

Best regards,

etienne
Received on Mon Feb 13 00:27:56 2006