A review on deterioration of textile cultural heritage objects and sustainable solutions to mitigate the degradation

Abstract

Heritage textiles are important evidence of human history. Folk costumes, quilts, tapestries, rugs, hangings, etc. constitute a rich collection of products that are particularly valuable but also extremely fragile. This paper presents the main causes of the deterioration of heritage textiles, followed by a summary of the main bio-treatments that are effective in their case. Essential oils and plant extracts have a strong antibacterial, antifungal and insecticidal effect and are therefore recommended to be used as sustainable alternatives to conventional treatments. At present, bio-treatments used to prevent and reduce the deterioration of heritage textiles are carried out in two ways. One of them targets bioaerosols in museum spaces and the second one targets microbial agents on the surface or in the structure of textiles. The application of bio-treatments on heritage textiles should be done taking into account the specific features given by their fibrous composition, the structure of the materials, their age, the environmental conditions in which they are, etc. At present, these treatments are not yet commonly used for heritage textiles or the spaces in which they are stored or exhibited, even though there are studies that have proven the effectiveness and safety of their use.