How to Ensure Plastics Are Safe for Scrapbooking

It is a good idea to cover your scrapbook pages with plastic sheet protectors. This keeps your pages and the irreplaceable photos and artwork on them safe from accidents and damage. However, you want to be sure you are using the right kinds of plastics. Not all plastics are safe for scrapbook pages.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Ensure Your Plastics Are Safe for Your Scrapbook

1. Select plastics that are free of poly vinyl chloride (PVC). PVCs can cause severe damage to paper and photographs over the long term because they emit chlorine gas. Photographs can yellow and become sticky over time.
2. Look for plastics that are also PVA-free. PVAs are another substance that can damage delicate scrapbook items. Plastic sheet protectors that are free of PVAs and PVCs will usually say so on the packaging.
3. Search for alternative materials. If you cannot find safe plastic sheet protectors, try to find some made out of polyester or acrylic. These materials are safe for photographs and paper and will not cause any damage or degradation to them.
4. Ask the store manager for help. If the packaging on a set of plastic sheet protectors is unclear as to whether or not the protectors are safe, ask before you buy. Shop at scrapbook supply stores or in the scrapbook departments of crafts stores, where the managers and store personnel are most likely to know whether a particular plastic is safe for scrapbooking.
5. Choose acid-free paper products when in doubt. Look for any sort of paper says "acid free" or "archival safe." If you can't find safe plastics, then acid free paper products are your best option for your scrapbooking.
6. Buy a scrapbook with plastic sheet protectors included so you'll know they're safe for scrapbooking. You can get scrapbook albums with included plastic sheet protectors at KI Memories Scrapbook Albums online (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid storing your scrapbook against an outside wall. Outside walls are more subject to temperature variations, dampness, mold and other potentially damaging factors. If you really want to keep your scrapbook safe, consider storing it in a humidity-controlled closet.
• Occasionally, companies will advertise "photo safe" products. Be aware that this designation does not ensure that the products are safe for scrapbooking, as there is no standardized definition for this term. Look instead for packaging labeled "archival quality."
• Ensure that your scrapbook is protected from excessive heat and humidity when you store it as well as from the chemicals in unsafe plastics. Be aware that even if you use safe materials, your scrapbook can become damaged by environmental factors, such as rapid changes in temperature.