Restoration and

Conservation of
Textiles
Prof. Crisencio M. Paner, LPT, MSc.
What are Textiles?
• Textiles are materials or fabrics.
• They are made of tiny fibers that can
be man-made or come from nature,
those fibers are then twisted into yarns,
and the yarns are then woven or knit into
a fabric.
• The word 'textile' comes from the Latin
adjective textilis, meaning 'woven',
which itself stems from textus, the past
participle of the verb texere, 'to weave'
History of Textiles
• As per the Biblical Book of Genesis (Genesis
3:7), after eating the "forbidden fruit" from the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and
Eve clad themselves with fig leaves.
• Depictions of fig leaves have long been used to
cover the genitals of nude figures in painting and
sculpture, for example, in Masaccio's The
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
• Hereafter the precursor of today's textiles
include leaves, barks, fur pelts, and felted cloths.
What are
Examples of
Textiles?
• Those covers, rugs, clothes,
tablecloths, car seat upholstery, and
chair upholstery, were all example of
textiles.
• A textile is a material made of
natural or synthetic fibers.
• A textile is any material made of
interlacing fibres, including carpeting
and geotextiles.
Types of Fiber which are
Woven into Textiles
• The three main types of fibers
are natural vegetable fibers,
animal protein fibers and artificial
fibers.
• Natural vegetable fibers include
cotton, linen, jute and hemp.
Types of Fiber which are
Woven into Textiles
• Animal protein fibers include wool and silk.
Types of Fiber
which are Woven
into Textiles
• Cotton is a soft and breathable
plant fiber that has been
cultivated for nearly 8,000 years,
since the Indus Valley
civilizations.
Types of Fiber
which are Woven
into Textiles
• Linen, from the flax plant, is one of the oldest
and most prized natural fibers.
• Harvesters extract the linen by letting the
outer bark rot and dry.
• Then they break away the decayed bark to
obtain the fibers inside.
• Linen is difficult to work with (the fiber is not
elastic and breaks easily), but is highly valued
for its considerable strength, its ability to wick
moisture, and its elegant appearance.
 Types of Fiber
which are Woven
into Textiles
• Silk is the filament excreted by a silkworm when it
makes its cocoon.
• An average cocoon contains one continuous strand of
raw silk that is nearly 1,000 yards long.
• People in ancient China discovered that silk cocoons
could be unraveled in hot water to release their long,
fine thread, and that several strands of thread could
be reeled together to make a strong yarn of soft,
shiny silk.
• The intense labor that goes into silk production
contributes to its high cost as a luxury fabric.
Types of Fiber
which are Woven
into Textiles
• Wool is one of the oldest fibers in human
history and likely helped people survive in cold
and rigorous climates.
• Wool grows on a sheep's body as dense, tightly
crimped hairs that grow back after shearing.
• For millennia, nomadic people kept herds of
sheep with them as a renewable source of
fiber.
• Wool comes from many kinds of sheep and
varies widely in length, luster, and coarseness.
Types of Fiber
which are Woven
into Textiles
• Bark cloth is made by beating together wet
strips from the inner bark of trees, most
commonly the mulberry tree.
• Sometimes bark cloth is called paper cloth, since
paper is also made by fusing tree fibers together
into a sheet.
• This type of fiber was traditionally used in island
communities where the environments did not
support extensive agriculture or animal
husbandry.
• Bark is one of the rare fibers that is not spun
into yarn before it is made into a fabric.
Types of Fiber
which are Woven
into Textiles
• Man-made fibers (made by
industrial processes)
including nylon, polyester is used
in some hobbies and handicrafts
and in the developed world.
Man-made Textiles
• Polyester is a fiber made when melted plastic is
pushed through a tiny hole to create a long,
smooth filament.
• Polyester became popular in the 1970s because
of its incredible resistance to repeated use and
washing.
• You can also mold polyester and set it with heat
to create permanent pleats or folds.
• Today, polyester is the most widely used synthetic
fiber, often blended with natural fibers like cotton
to help absorb and wick water.
Man-made
Textiles
• Although rayon is created in a
laboratory, it is made from natural
materials.
• Rayon is reconstituted cellulose,
usually wood pulp.
• Developed in the 19th century as
a substitute for silk, rayon mimics
its soft and shiny
qualities without the intensive
labor and production costs.
 Over thousands of years, people have
developed a variety of ways to add
pattern or decoration to textiles, as well
as vocabulary to describe their creations.

Decoration

These specialized techniques add beauty

and significance beyond the textile’s
function.
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage

BONTOC WEAVE
Community: Bontoc
Origin: Mountain Province
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
KALINGA TEXTILES
Community: Kalinga
Origin: Province of Kalinga
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
PIÑA
Community: Aklanon
Origin: Aklan
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
HABLON
Communities: Kiniray-a and Hiligaynon
Origin: Panay Island
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
SAPUTANGAN TAPESTRY WEAVE
Community: Yakan
Origin: Basilan
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage

MABAL TABIH
Community: Blaan
Origin: Sarangani and South Cotabato
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
BAGOBO INABAL
Community: Bagobo Manobo
Origin: Davao del Sur
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
DAGMAY
Community: Mandaya
Origin: Eastern Mindanao
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
MËRANAW TEXTILE
Community: Mëranaw
Origin: Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage

PIS SYABIT WEAVE

Community: Tausug
Origin: Sulu Archipelago
 Weaving
the
Threads of
Filipino
Heritage
T’NALAK
Community: Tboli
Origin: South Cotabato
 What are some
of the Fiber Arts
Techniques?
• Quilting – layers of fabric are sewn together Weaving
• Weaving – a method of fabric production in
which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are
interlaced at right angles to form
a fabric or cloth.
• Knitting – a method by which thread or yarn is
turned into knitted fabric consisting of
consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As
each row progresses, a new loop is pulled
through an existing loop. The active stitches are
held on a needle until another loop can be
passed through them.

Knitting Quilting
Crochet

• Crochet – a process of creating fabric from yarn, thread,

or other material strands using a crochet hook.

What are some of • Embroidery – decorating fabric or other

materials with needle and thread or yarn.

the Fiber Arts • Appliqué – a smaller ornament or device applied to

another surface.

Techniques? • Rug Hooking – a craft in which rugs are made by pulling

loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base such
as burlap, linen, rug warp or monks cloth. The loops are
pulled through the backing material by using a latch
hook mounted in a handle (usually wood) for leverage.
 What are some
of the Fiber Arts
Techniques?
• Braiding or Plaiting – a complex structure or pattern
formed by intertwining three or more strands of
flexible material such as textile fibers, wire, or human
hair.
• Macramé – a form of textile-making
using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. Its
primary knots are the square knot and forms of
“hitching”: full hitch and double half hitches.
• Lace Making
• Needle Lace – created using
a needle and thread to stitch up hundreds of
small stitches to form the lace itself.
• Tatting – a technique for handcrafting a
particularly durable lace constructed by a series
of knots and loops.
• Flocking (texture) – the process of depositing
many small fiber particles (called flock) onto a
surface.
• Tapestry – special type of weaving in which the
weft yarns are manipulated freely to form a
pattern or design on the front of the fabric.
• Basketry – the process of weaving un-
spun vegetable fibers into a basket or other
similar form.
• Patchwork – a form of needlework that involves
sewing together pieces of fabric into a larger
design.
Fiber Arts

31
History of Fiber
Arts
• Fiber art refers to fine art whose
material consists of natural or
synthetic fiber, and other
components, such as fabric or
yarn.
• Placing focus on the materials and
the manual labor on the part of
the artist, aesthetic value over
utility is prioritized.
• Typically, fiber creatives use the
method of weaving for the
creation of their small or large
pieces.
History of Fiber
Arts
• Next to this technique, creatives
are known to practice the act of
knotting, twining, plaiting,
coiling, pleating, lashing, and
interlacing.
• Also known as fabric art, fiber
art was introduced after the war
to characterize original art
developments in textiles and to
help define works being done in
fiber since the 1920’s.
Examples of
Fiber Arts
Examples of Fiber Arts
Examples
of Fiber
Arts
Examples
of Fiber
Arts
Examples
of Fiber
Arts
Examples
of Fiber
Arts
Common Fibers
in the Philippines
 Abacá whose Scientific name is
Musa textilis, is a species of
banana native to the Philippines,
 Grown as a commercial crop in the
Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa
Rica.
 The plant has great economic
importance, being harvested for its
fiber, also called Manila hemp.
Common Fibers in
the Philippines
 Abacá is also the traditional source of lustrous
fiber hand-loomed into various indigenous
textiles in the Philippines like t'nalak.
 T'nalak (also spelled tinalak), is a weaving
tradition of the T'boli people of South
Cotabato, Philippines.
 T'nalak cloth are woven from abacá fibers.
 The traditional female weavers are known as
dream weavers, because the pattern of the
t'nalak cloth are inspired by their dreams.
Common Fibers in the
Philippines
 Abacá is also the source of fibers for sinamay, a loosely woven
stiff material used for textiles as well as in traditional Philippine
millinery.
 The Philippines presently supplies 84% of the total world abaca
requirement.
 The industry supports 1.5 million Filipinos.
 It generates US$ 81 million annually from the exports of raw
fiber and manufactures.
Pinukpok fabric from Abaca
 Dagmay
cloth from
Abaca
Buri
Buri Products
Maguey
Maguey Products
RATTAN
Rattan Products
Rattan Products
53
 Handmade paper
 stencil paper
 currency paper
 check paper
 Japanese kimono
 Japanese sliding door (shoji)
 components for radio and
computers
Piña Fiber
• Piña fiber is extracted from the leaves of
the pineapple plant, Ananas comosus
(Linn) Merr.
• The plant, particularly the native or Red
Spanish variety, has leaves that yield
excellent fibers for handweaving.
• USES:

HAND-SCRAPED PIÑA -
fabrics for barong Tagalog,
kimonos, pañuelos, gowns,
handkerchiefs, table linens,
table napkins, table cloth,
pillow cases, fans and other
household items.
DECORTICATED PIÑA -
textiles for clothing and
home linens
• MAJOR PRODUCING
PROVINCES:

• Aklan is the major

producer of hand-scraped
fiber for piña cloth.

• Palawan is the only other

producing province.

• Decorticated fiber is
produced in Camarines
Norte and South Cotabato.
Piña fiber
• Piña fiber is often blended
with cotton, abaca, and silk
to create wonderful light,
breezy fabrics.
• When woven with silk, it's
called piña seda or piña-
silk.
• Piña jusi is blended with
jusi (abaca or silk) for
strength and sheerness and
is less expensive than 100%
piña .
Piña Jusi Barong Cocoon Piña Barong
Piña leather
 Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
• Upholstered furniture generally refers to seating
furniture, such as sofas, chairs, and stools, which are
padded for comfort and covered with fabric.
• The framework of upholstered furniture is usually
wood.
• The padding materials are quite diverse.
• They historically include materials such as grasses,
animal hair, feathers, moss, cotton batting, and sea
weed.
• More recently materials such as polyester batting
and synthetic foams have been introduced.
Upholstered
Furniture: Agents
of Deterioration
• Because upholstered furniture is typically
an assemblage of a variety of materials, it
is susceptible to damage from a greater
number of agents of deterioration than
simpler types of artifacts made from a
single material.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY:
• Excessively high relative humidity (RH),
above approximately 65 % , can cause
mold to grow on and deteriorate textiles.
• In addition, high RH will promote the
oxidation of metal elements such as tacks
and springs in furniture.
Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
• This will not only deteriorate the
metal itself but will stain and embrittle
the fabrics and stuffing that it contacts.
• Excessively low RH, below
approximately 40%, can embrittle and
ultimately break down the individual
fibers of textiles.
Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
LIGHT
• Light damage is cumulative and
irreversible.
• Visible light and ultraviolet (UV) radiation
will fade and embrittle show covers.
• Some upholstery fabrics, such as silk, are
particularly susceptible to light damage.
Light will also fade wood stains and the
natural color of the wood as well as
degrade wood finishes.
 Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
LIGHT
• Sunlight contains both the visible and UV
components of the spectrum.
• Therefore, do not display upholstered furniture in
direct sunlight.
• Attempt to keep light levels below 50 lux (5
footcandles).
• It is advisable that upholstered furniture be totally
protected from light when it is not being viewed.
• This can be accomplished by shutting light off at the
source or covering the object with clean cotton
sheets.
 Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
Dust and Dirt
• Dust particles which generally include lint as well as
organic debris act as an attractant and food source for
insects and attract moisture to the surface of the
object.
• In addition dust is abrasive and over time can damage
the finish of exposed wood members.
• To reduce the deterioration potential of dust and dirt
on upholstered furniture, keep the exhibit
environment clean and reduce ambient dust as much
as possible.
• Cover the furniture with clean cotton sheets when
not on display.
Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
Stains
• The removal of old stains in fabric should
be attempted only by a textile
conservator.
• Misguided attempts to remove old stains
can result in more damage.
• A fresh spill should be removed, to the
degree possible, by blotting with a clean
white cotton cloth.
 Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
Handling and Moving
• Upholstered furniture is particularly susceptible to
damage from improper handling and moving.
• Clean white cotton gloves should be worn when
handling upholstered surfaces to avoid staining the
fabric with hand oils.
• Since much upholstered furniture is heavy and bulky it
is particularly important to exercise care in moving.
• Be sure to measure door openings before the actual
move, ensure there is ample help available, and grasp
by the legs rather than upholstered surfaces if
possible.
 Upholstered
Furniture: Agents
of Deterioration
Insect Infestation
• Upholstered furniture is susceptible to damage from
those insects that feed on proteinaceous and
cellulose materials.
• Exit holes on the surface of the wooden members as
well as the presence of frass, a finely powdered
sawdust, are indications of a wood-boring beetle
infestation.
• The adult stage of the beetle creates the exit or flight
hole, 1/16" to 3/16" in diameter, as it emerges from
the wood, pushing the frass out ahead of it.
• It is the larval stage of the insect which does the most
damage, consuming the cellulose as it tunnels
through the interior of the wood members.
Upholstered Furniture:
Agents of Deterioration
Mold infestation
• The most frequent biodeteriogens of cellulosic
textiles are micro-fungi (Ascomycetes and
Deuteromycetes) and bacteria of cellulolytic and non-
cellulolytic species, many of which have been
mentioned for the wood and paper biodeterioration.
Upholstered
Furniture: Agents of
Deterioration
Treatment with Biocides
• Spraying and brushing of diluted biocide
solutions are the most common systems of
treatment.
• Injection of pesticides, using the larvae’s tunnels,
can be used to increase their diffusion for
infested wooden structures.
• Fumigation methods are widely employed for
organic materials.
• The treatment consists of distributing the
fumigant (gas) in the air and through materials.
Upholstered
Furniture: Agents
of Deterioration
Treatment with Biocides
• This method has rapid effectiveness and reach
deep penetration inside the object.
• Due to the high toxicity of fumigants, they
must be applied in airtight chambers or in
perfectly sealed spaces (sometimes created
with polyethylene sheets), where the pressure
can be modified to improve the penetration of
the gas.
• When either spraying and brushing treatments
or poultices are used, it is sometimes advisable
to wash off the biocide residues in order to
avoid possible secondary reactions (due to the
degradation of products).
Climate and Textile Storage
• The use of acid-free corrugated cardboard boxes and acid-
free tissue paper have been found to be an effective
means to protect antique textiles against inadvertent
exposure to light, abrasion, and soiling.
• The isolation of textiles in this manner can also reduce the
spread of an insect infestation while simultaneously
mitigating against fluctuations in temperature and relative
humidity.
• The Smithsonian Institution museums try to maintain their
collections at 45% RH + 8% RH and 70°F + 4°F.
Videos
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HcF2p7lDbA
-Abaca
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRvWiiGoOzI
-Piña fiber
•https://vimeo.com/424082899
-The story of Cotton
•https://vimeo.com/424088194
-The story of silk
•https://vimeo.com/424093251
-Sheep to Shawl

76
Videos
https://vimeo.com/424096808
Felting with Renate Maile-Moskowitz
https://vimeo.com/424101490
Looping with Debra M. Lee
https://vimeo.com/424105616
Weaving with Hillary Steel

77
Thank You!