There are certain fabrics that do yellow a little as they get older. The greatest cause of yellowing wedding gowns is leaving the dress in the plastic bag that the dress came with or a drycleaner's bag. Plastic gives off fumes that actually cause yellowing. Proper preservation of any textile garment depends on an acid-free, climate-controlled environment. Gowns that can be wet cleaned have an advantage, in that if they do yellow, they may be able to be whitened for future use with a fabric whitener.

Preserving your gown in an acid-free environment is your best protection against yellowing. Padding your gown with acid-free tissue will help to prevent acid migration.

Keeping your gown in the best overall condition should be the main concern in preserving your bridal gown.

Remove it from the plastic bag and have it cleaned and preserved in an acid-free environment.

Flat storage is recommended for garmen ts when possible. However, because of the size and dimensions of wedding gowns, it is often impractical. Some compromise must be made, either by folding or hanging the gown.

To help prevent permanent creasing, boxed gowns should be refolded every 2 - 3 years. (Cotton gloves should always be worn when handling preserved gowns.)

Bagged gowns that are hung in a closet are not at risk for permanent creasing, and will not need to be handled periodically.

To protect your gown from mildew and mould growth, it is advisable to keep your gown in a breathable environment. When fabrics can breathe, the humidity level remains constant around the garment as excess moisture dissipates into the air. The gown is at risk for mildew and mould growth if moisture can condense inside a box or any container.

An oxidation spot can occur when a substance that was not properly cleaned on the dress oxidizes and turns brown. This can happen even if your dress has been cleaned as dry-cleaning solvents do not remove all substances. Spills from clear soda or wine may go unnoticed at the time of the initial cleaning. Unless these spills are pretreated, it is likely they will oxidize over time. Inspecting preserved dresses periodically ensures the dress remains in the best condition. The sooner an oxidized stain is caught, the more likely it will be able to be removed.

Keeping your gown covered will prevent it from the damage caused by light and dust.