Storing kilts for a couple of years

[Rex_Tremende]

I sort of think that completely sealing them up is not a very good idea. Somewhere along the way I had heard that keeping clothes in air-tight containers only promotes mildew from whatever spores and moisture there is that gets locked in. Keep the bugs out, but let the air circulate, I think.

Regards,
Rex.

[Abax]

Somewhere along the way I had heard that keeping clothes in air-tight containers only promotes mildew from whatever spores and moisture there is that gets locked in.

Just out of high school, I was a property and evidence specialist for the local police department. Officers would frequently seize articles of clothing they thought were involved in a crime. These clothes weren't soaked in blood or any other obvious fluids, but were simply removed from the suspect and placed in a plastic bag. About a week later, the clothes would smell horrible and quite often were the host for green and gray mold. Unless you can sterilize your clothing and then remove ALL the moisture, DO NOT SEAL IT IN PLASTIC.

The smart officers put even dry clothing in a drying bin (filtered air circulating at room temp) for about a week, then sealed the clothing in paper (either a bag or wrapped in craft paper). The paper provided enough air flow to hinder the formation of growing things. I saw clothes treated like this that were in good shape 20 years later.

I'm no expert in preservation, but I'd suggest a fabric cover. You could easily make one by basting some muslin or an old sheet to the necessary size. Fold the kilt flat with the two front aprons as you'd wear it, then slip the kilt inside and baste it closed. If everything lays flat, you probably don't need to baste the pleats.

Abax