Conservation encompasses all activities that prolong and preserve not only the physical stability of material but also the intangible aspects of cultural heritage.

A condition report is a detailed document describing the condition of an object. These reports can help conservators track changes over time, record past and current conservation treatments and prioritize conservation needs of a garment.

Inherent vice is a weakness in a material resulting from the way it was produced or manufactured. Different materials have different inherent vices. Conservators often use a combination of active treatment interventions and passive preservation techniques to prevent continued damage from occurring.

Due to the age and condition of garments like the Day Dress, it’s safest to lay it flat for long-term storage in an archival box.

Padding out a garment correctly with archival tissue is an integral part of flat storage. It supports delicate and folded areas to prevent creasing, acts as an interleaving layer between areas and serves as an isolation barrier between garments in the same box.

Silk crepeline is an incredibly fine woven silk. Crepeline can be dyed with conservation dyes to colour match with historical garments. It is used in localized supports and overlay/underlays to protect delicate and sensitive areas.

Hair silk is very fine, nearly invisible silk thread. Silk has high tensile strength, meaning it can withstand considerable stress before breaking. Hair silk is used for non-adhesive treatments such as the stabilization of textiles through stitch repair. It is also used to weave crepeline.

Insect pins are ultra-fine pins named for their use in displaying insect specimens. They are valued for the lack of perforation marks they leave, their subtle look and non-corrosive nature.

Insect pins are just one example of the many tools that art conservators use from other industries. Scalpels, surgical curved needles and dental tools are also common in a conservator’s tool box and prized for their precision.