What about the use of stockinet (used in the medical field) for this purpose? I know it is springy but I thought that came from the way it is woven. Scott Carrlee Curator of Museum Services Alaska State Museums From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Margaret Geiss-Mooney Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 10:50 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] elastic fabric Good afternoon, MuseumLers - If the fabrics (elastic denim or corduroy) are relatively new (last 20 years or so), the fabric is probably made from a blend of cotton, polyester and spandex fibres. Unfortunately, the spandex fibre does not have good archival ageing characteristics (it's based on polyurethane and has to have a variety of stabilizers, like antioxidants, and finishing agents added to it during the manufacturing process). It would NOT be a viable alternative to 100% cotton muslin. Perhaps a call to a local hotel or commercial laundry will yield a donation of enough 100% cotton sheets that can't be used any more due to tears? Please feel free to contact me off-line if you need further clarification or have additional questions. Regards, Meg . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________ Margaret E. Geiss-Mooney Textile/Costume Conservator & Collections Management Consultant Professional Associate - AIC 707-763-8694 [log in to unmask] ..intern working on re-housing theatre costumes by making padded hangers and muslin coverings for each costume. Unfortunately, the muslin ran out, but we discovered a wealth of gray, elastic denim, or corduroy. We don't have the means to test to determine if this fabric will deteriorate over time, so my question is there a resource or anyone who has experience with various fabrics to determine if this is a viable alternative to the muslin? ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).