How to store a paper collection so it does not fade

Storage · 3 September 2026

Three things destroy paper: light, humidity and the wrong plastic. Move the collection away from the window, keep it somewhere reliably dry and drop PVC sleeves – that alone buys stamps, postcards and labels another fifty years.

Light

Ultraviolet breaks down dyes: red goes first, then yellow, and the image drifts blue and washed out. The change cannot be reversed. So a collection lives in a closed album in a cupboard, not in a frame on a sunny wall. If you want it on display, display a copy.

Humidity and temperature

Damp and dryness both hurt, but swings hurt most. Damp brings mould and foxing, dry air makes paper brittle, and changing conditions make sheets cockle. The worst spots in a home are a balcony, a windowsill, the cupboard above a stove and any shelf on an outside wall. The best is an interior room, a middle shelf, away from radiators.

Album materials

• No PVC. Soft glossy sleeves with a sharp smell are polyvinyl chloride. In time they release plasticiser and paper sticks to the film. Use polypropylene, polyester or paper pockets.
• Acid-free paper. Ordinary card and newspaper acidify their neighbours, leaving a brown margin around each item.
• No adhesive. Tape, PVA and stickers bond permanently; the mark costs more than the flaw it hides.
• Loose but still. An item should neither slide around in the pocket nor be forced into it.

Five mistakes you can spot instantly

1. Keeping the album on a windowsill, "where it is easy to look at".
2. Ironing creases flat: the paper darkens and loses its texture.
3. Writing on the back in ballpoint or marker.
4. Keeping everything in one bundle under a rubber band, which dents and tears the edges.
5. Washing or cleaning: with paper this is nearly always a loss.

How the archive helps

A digital archive removes the main cause of wear – constant handling. Browse an issue on screen and take the original out rarely: stamps of the world, postcards, matchbox labels and pocket calendars are already photographed and sorted by year.