Has anyone ever opened a plastic bag or tote and smelled something that smells like chemicals? That's the plastic releasing gases. If those gases remain trapped inside the container, they may, depending on the dyes used and fiber content, alter the fabric inside or its appearance. That's why lining the container doesn't necessarily help. I don't think Clotilde's just made this up.

I used to store a major part of my stash in large plastics but after travelling a bit and storing suitcases, thought why am I storing suitcases in suitcases? So........in went the fabrics and when I am out of storage , I pop into thrift stores and buy suitcases--nice ones, small medium or large for a VERY reasonable price, wash them, then when dried store more fabrics. I separated them by color -but now future stash is quite messy-- and the suitcase rollers and handles make it very convenient to move without to much strain. No trouble with gremlins so far and it's been many yrs.

And the suitcases are "breathable".

I have some fabric that was stored for years in plastic tubs. It is fine.
I cannot say the same for fabric that was stored in cardboard boxes. That gets dirty when the corners wear or the box breaks or when mice find their way in.
Stick with tubs that have covers that lock and you should be fine.

Plastic does not breath so if any moisture is on the fabric or anything related it could mold the entire project or the entire box or bag.

I have heard that plastic bags, containers that are air tight do not allow any air movement and dry out the fabric. If the fabric is dry it might tear or get holes in it easy. I don't know if that is correct or not, just what I have heard.

The only time I have experienced "brown spots" in regard to plastic bags is in throwing some old knit-type tops in them (the clothes were clean, just getting rid of then temporarily - Hah!) and after sitting in the back of a closet for awhile, I opened the bags and noticed that sweat spots or if there were any imbedded grease spots in the items that there were permanent brown spots (couldn't even bleach them out). I also had put them in cheap shopping type plastic bags. Other than that, I have used plastic for years and haven't experienced problems.
Marysewfun

I've been using plastic for years and no problem here.

I know from experience that storing clothes/material in cardboard boxes will cause brown spots because of the acid in them. BUT I'm wondering if plastic leaf bags are the problem and not plastic bins? On the other hand, I was given some material scraps recently when a lady cleaned out her storage shed. The black plastic bags were actually cumbling apart and all the material was just fine. I know I would never store a quilt in a plastic bag - but everything else...????

I had one of my childhood dresses hanging in my closet for years in a dry clearner's plastic bag. When my DD wanted to wear the dress we discovered brown spots on the dress from the plastic. The dry cleaner couldn't get them out so he suggested for me to let him wash it, I wouldn't lose anything, the dress couldn't be worn with the spots. The spots came out and the dress looked good as new. The fabric was synthetic so I doubt the spots would have come out of cotton. I wouldn't store fabric in bags for long term. I've never had a problem with the plastic bins. The white acid free cardboard boxes are perfect. Wal Mart sells them cheap.

I have not had brown spots on fabric storing it in plastic bins but my friend didn't dry some of her fabric fully and she had brown spots. Think it might come from from the laundry soap.

Sherriequilts - please don't ruin your knee surgery by rushing back to save your fabrics. I am a procrastinator and many of my fabrics have been in cheap plastic bags for >5 years in a hot attic. I am gradually buying clear plastic sweater boxes at our local container store [$5/box, so as my budget permits] and transferring fabrics that go with a specific planned quilt into these boxes with
the picture or pattern of the quilt. So far all my fabrics have been like new - no
sun damage and no brown spots and no mold.
So-focus on your rehab and physical therapy so that you can be restored to good health and restart your quilting.
Sincerely - Judy M.D.

Sherriequilts - please don't ruin your knee surgery by rushing back to save your fabrics. I am a procrastinator and many of my fabrics have been in cheap plastic bags for >5 years in a hot attic. I am gradually buying clear plastic sweater boxes at our local container store [$5/box, so as my budget permits] and transferring fabrics that go with a specific planned quilt into these boxes with the picture or pattern of the quilt. So far all my fabrics have been like new - no sun damage and no brown spots and no mold.
So-focus on your rehab and physical therapy so that you can be restored to good health and restart your quilting.
Sincerely - Judy M.D.

I have heard not to use Dry Cleaner's plastic and it should be removed from the cloths as soon as you bring it home. But that's all I've ever worried about. Nothing else has ever had spots of any kind.

I use plastic bins to store fabric too. I've never had a problem with it. I think things get ruined more easily from not being stored in something fairly sturdy, but that's just my opinion. I wouldn't worry about it. I really don't know what I would do if I didn't store things in plastic bins.

I really think it has more to do with humidity. I keep my fabrics away from direct sun light, too. And, no pins get stored in fabrics for long, either.

Have stored for years in plastic, no problems, but I do open them now and again (just to fondle them!) and have not seen any problems. Love to be able to see through the totes

I think plastics are more unhealthy for human consumption than for our fabrics.

IMHO!

Not sure if they still use the same chemicals nowadays, but years ago (?15?) we were warned to air out all items from teh dry cleaners before using, especially sleeping bags due to the chemicals being toxic.

Can't remember the last thing I took to a dry cleaner..... Oh yeah! My red wool jacket!

Many of them do still use the same chemicals, although some dry cleaners are not popping up in some metro areas with "green" cleaning chemicals. They aren't actually completely safe, but many of them are better than the standard dry cleaning chemicals. It's worth looking into if you do any dry cleaning.

I use bins and bags. Never had an issue yet. Though I could see if it were keptin a damp area that mold could grow inside plastic due to lack of ventilation, thus causing brown spots.

if a bug gets in the plastic storage container with the fabric, you will have brown spots. if they are sealed well, it should not be a problem.

I have stored my fabric in plastic containers and baggies for years without a problem.

Another plastic user for years and no problems...even store
Xmas decor in plastic tubs in shed outside, no problems...

I will just have to take my chances...I always use plastic bins..

I have stored fabric in plastic tubs for years and I have never found any spots or anything on any of it.

Same for me.

I have stored fabric in rubbermaid tubs for years and never had a spot or any problem.

plastic not only gives off toxic gas when exposed to extreme temp changes, the UV rays can penetrate it and cause undo aging/spots on the fabrics. If stored in air tight containers, you cotton can dry rot.
No one here (on this QB list) seems to realize that cotton is a living breathing fiber...if you cut off the air supply it will die(rot)....

How do you store your fabric?

I think I'm confused by your use of the phrase "living fiber." What exactly does that mean? I'm only used to defining "life" in a biology class, and cotton in a fabric doesn't qualify, as it doesn't excrete waste, absorb food, or reproduce, just to name a few. I think we're having a terminology problem. What does it mean?

I have a lot of fabric in the big blue plastic tubs for several years no problem yet.

I think as long as they are not in the sun in plastic you are OK! :D

I use to live in WA state, had plastic tubs with lids sitting on my back porch for 10 years, Even rain mist would touch them, nothing ever got damp or moldy.. maybe I was very lucky, Not all material, some clothing and odds and ends.

I've had fabrics stored in plastic totes since in the 1960's when I started building my stash for when I retired 30 years later. I still have a lot of this fabric and it's just fine. No odor! No fading! No dust!

I have had an experience with brown discoloration on a couple of cotton fabrics. They were stored in my attic in plastic bags (trash type bags) one was a piece of fabric and some was leftover from cutting out a dress for my daughter. They weren't in the same bag, or box but these 2 items had some areas of brown discoloration. I was going through all my fabric especially "scraps" as I wanted to use the scraps from her dress in her quilt I'm making (there will be enouch of her dress fabric to get a patch :-)). Most of the fabrics were fine except for these 2. So it probably was the bag, being in a box could have an effect as well. So it could be just random occurance, and maybe I won't use trash bags to store fabric or out of season clothes anymore.

What's the alternative? How do you store your fabric?

here is a link from e how telling just how to store cotton fabric

http://www.ehow.com/how_6021666_stor...on-fabric.html

I store my fabric in a closet on wooden shelves, with acid-free tissue paper between the shelves and the fabric if I care a lot about the fabric. If it's Joann's stuff that I care less about, it's just on the wooden shelves. I try not to use plastic at all unless I have to. I also try not to have so much stuff that some of it needs to be stored elsewhere. I have a healthy fabric stash, but in general, if it's in storage, I'm not enjoying it, and I have to ask myself, do I really need so much stuff, anyway? If my home starts to overflow, a trip to the local charity drop-off station is in order.

I store all my fabrics in plastic bins with tight lids. I've done this for many, many years and have never had a moment's problems with my fabric. I replaced all my plastic bins after christmas because they stacked better in my sewing room and did not find even one spot. I never have however stored fabrics in plastic grocery bags so I would not know what results you might get. Silica crystals placed in plastic bins will help with any moisture problems.

the problems you might incounter would be moisture build up or condensation.

I have had fabric come out with spots on them but these are usually fabrics that I have handle a couple of times and put away,meaning my hands were not as clean as they should have been. I have worked with a of wedding dresses and that's were I have seen this happen the most.

I have used plastic for years with no problem.