Relative humidity. Both excess and insufficient moisture are harmful to fabrics, but especially its sudden fluctuations. Changes in air humidity cause changes in the dimensions of the fibres, also causing their friction. Low humidity leads to drying of the fibres, which consequently become brittle and brittle, and high humidity reduces the strength of the fibers and favors the growth of microorganisms.
Air pollution. You know, that the oxygen contained in the air has a damaging effect on fabrics, causing irreversible chemical changes. There are many other harmful gases in the air, m.in. hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, particularly readily absorbed by fabrics, which leads to brittleness of the fibres. 0 The negative effects of air pollution are clearly demonstrated by the state of preservation of fabrics in industrial cities, where they decay much faster than in the countryside.
Dust accelerates the destruction of fabrics, dirt and moisture accumulating in them. Aggressive dirt particles promote chemical reactions in fabrics. Also local dirt and grease stains, acids and rust formed during use discolor, they decompose, and even completely destroy the fibers. Iron compounds interact with moisture, oxygen and sulfur dioxide on oxidation processes, and the formation of sulfuric acid on the fibers allows severe damage to occur, np. silver sulfide is formed on the silver thread, showing blackness. On the one hand, impurities cause chemical destruction of fibres (np. eating them up), on the other hand, at the place of contamination, as a result of irregular loading and friction between the fibres, splits may occur.
