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.