Dear Mary et al:  While a graduate intern at LACMA in 1993-94  I did some
preliminary research on the Space Bags.  The plastic they were using at the
time was inert - it was a food-service grade laminate. I have some here at
PMA that I use for making bags for Oxygene Deprevation Chambers.  I wouldn't
use the compression feature for any historic or museum worthy items as the
creasing could be pretty extreme.   My parents have a set of smaller Space
Bags that they use for traveling and love them.

Sara Reiter
Philadelphia Museum of Art

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Ballard [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 3:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Space Bags


Hi everyone: Our shy & retiring computer administrator Mignon (who keeps us
organized) sent us this query & there seems to be a lot of interest, so I
hope everyone will think about it & respond to the list, with cc:'s to the
originators.

> >>> "Mignon Erixon-Stanford" <[log in to unmask]> 01/13/05 02:18PM >>>
> Question for the textiles experts...
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kiersten Latham" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 1:01 PM
> Subject: Re: Space Bags
>
>
> I am VERY interested in this question too. Amazingly, I was just
thinking
> similar thoughts earlier this week!
>
> Kiersten F. Latham, Collection Manager
> Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center
> 1100 N. Plum    Hutchinson, KS 67501
> 620-662-2305 x309
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Registrars Committee of the AAM on behalf of Susan Smyer
> Sent: Thu 1/13/2005 11:51 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Space Bags
>
> Good morning everyone,
>
> I need to store large numbers of sheet, pillowcases and wool blankets
> for lengthy periods of time and I don't have much climate-controlled
> space for storage.  Have any of you used  Space Bags that vacuum out air
> and compress the bags? They are made from polyethylene and nylon which
> is probably OK to use, but I would like to know if they off-gas or do
> anything horrible to textiles.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> Susan Smyer
> Collections Manager
> Battleship TEXAS SHS
> 3527 Battleground Rd.
> La Porte, TX  77571
> (281) 479-2431 ex.239
> [log in to unmask]
>

Mary W. Ballard
Senior Textiles Conservator
Smithsonian Center for Materials Research & Education
4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland MD 20746 USA
tel: 301-238-1210 fax: 301-238-3709
email: [log in to unmask]