This is a question people often ask concerning the poly sleeves they use for their comics, photos, vinyl records, posters, magazines and more. We stock three types of poly materials that are considered acid-free and safe for long term storage: Polyethylene, Polypropylene and Polyester. All of these materials are inert which means that there is nothing in them that can transfer to the stored item and cause damage to it. All of our poly materials have been tested by an independent lab and have passed the photo activity test which means that the material is safe for storing printed images.
The following is a synopsis that should help you to decide which material is right for you.
POLYETHYLENE: Is a bi-product of natural gas. It is a soft, clear material that has some stretch to it. It is not as clear as the other two materials listed, but does have excellent contact clarity. It comes in four different thickness. The thinner the sleeve, the higher the clarity. 3 mil is by far the most popular and generally gives the protection and clarity that is considered the standard of the industry. Our polyethylene is 100% pure virgin polyethylene.
POLYPROPYLENE: Is a very clear, high sheen, crisp material. We use bi-oriented polypropylene which mean that when the material is made, it is stretched in both directions so that over time it will not pucker (decreasing the clarity) as some polypropylenes do.
POLYESTER: Is considered the ultimate material for archival storage. It is crystal clear, semi-rigid and in acclerated tests shows no break down of the material for over one thousand years. Storing collectibles in polyester is the equivalent of using the Library of Congress archival preservation standards.
poly sleeves for collectors
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