Now that it is finally starting to feel like summer with the warm temperatures and the bright sunlight shining all day, it is time to talk about the sun and its effects on fabrics. It is important to consider how the sun can damage your fabrics overtime and how to prevent future damage from occurring so that it doesn’t alter the look of your quilt.

To understand how fabrics can get damaged from the sunlight you must understand a little about how the sun’s energy is made up. The sun’s energy is made up of three components: visible radiation, the near-infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation. Out of these three ultraviolet radiation, which is invisible to the human eye, is the most contributing factor to damaging and fading of fabrics.

What can happen to your fabric if it is left in the sun overtime is that the ultra-violet rays in daylight sun will make the color in your fabrics start to fade. I recommend that you don’t keep your quilt in the sun for long periods of time. However, artificial light can also damage your fabrics as well. Fluorescent lights can just as easily break down the dyes in your fabric and speed up the oxidation of the fibers causing it to damage and fade.

So what can you do to prevent further damage?

Limit sunlight and fluorescent light exposure to your quilt. Make sure if you are hanging your quilt on the wall or placed on a bed that it is not placed near a window where it can be exposed to sunlight through out the day.
Use UV protector glass frames when putting your quilts on display.
Choose your fabrics wisely. Always remember light colors reflect the sunlight while dark colors absorb it.

Got any tips on how to prevent sunlight damage to your quilts? Share them with us on Quilter’s Thread Mobile App.

Live Well. Quilt Well.