Acid is found naturally in many kinds of paper and wood.
It is acid that makes newspapers yellow and brittle so quickly. Throughout these guidelines, you will see references to acid-free products and certain plastics. Acidic materials will slowly destroy your heirlooms. Buffered materials are safe for most treasures but choose unbuffered for blueprints, photographs, and fabrics. Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polycarbonate, and acrylic products are all stable materials that can help protect your heirlooms.