Museum quality preservation methods
Preservation Choices
At Heritage Garment Preservation, you have a choice between two museum quality preservation methods: Museum Method™ (hanging) preservation and Heritage Box™ preservation. Neither method is sealed so you have easy access to inspect and admire your wedding dress whenever you would like to. Both preservation methods utilize acid/lignin free materials, providing the best protection against yellowing available. Compare the benefits of both preservation methods.
Acid-free and Lignin-free Preservation Materials
All archival preservation materials used by Heritage Garment Preservation are museum quality which provides the best protection against yellowing. Museum quality means that materials are acid-free and lignin-free. Lignin, the fibrous part of all wood-based products, is not acidic but releases acid as it decomposes. Many dry cleaners and preservation companies use bridal keepsake boxes that are not archival quality. A true archival box is acid-free and lignin-free.
Wedding Dress Preservation Warranties
Each wedding dress that we clean or restore includes a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. We will reprocess your gown at no charge should you be dissatisfied with our work. Our Heritage Couture™ cleaning and preservation includes a lifetime warranty against yellowing. Our Heritage Select™ cleaning and preservation includes a 30 year warranty against yellowing. Restored wedding gowns and other heirloom garments that we preserve include a 5 year warranty. Please visit our warranty page for more details.
Accessible for Maintenance Without Voiding Warranty
Museum conservators recommend that boxed wedding dresses be refolded every few years into a slightly different position to minimize the risk of permanent creases setting in. At Heritage Garment Preservation, our archival box is accessible. The top comes off so that you can easily inspect your wedding dress and refold it every few years. We include cotton gloves for you to wear during maintenance to protect your gown. Opening your preservation box and refolding your gown is encouraged and WILL NOT void your warranty.
Shipping Included
Shipping to and from our shop is included in with each wedding gown care order. Heritage Couture™ packages include a shipping kit with box, tape, label, etc. Our Heritage Select™ package includes a prepaid shipping label emailed to you. Shipping kits can be purchased with this package. We utilize FedEx signature delivery so that your wedding gown shipment will be signed for when it arrives. Heritage Couture™ packages also include courier pick up.
Shipping Insurance
Heritage Garment Preservation insures each wedding gown that we clean and preserve during transit for $500 (additional insurance is available for an additional fee.)
Muslin Wrap Available
For Heritage Couture™ orders, your preserved wedding gown will be wrapped in cotton muslin and then placed in either our Museum Method™ cotton bag, or our Heritage Box™. Acid-free tissue is used with our Heritage Select™ packages, but cotton muslin is available for an upgrade for this package. Muslin is a more durable material than tissue and was the material used to wrap the Egyptian mummies for their preservation. Naturally acid-free and lignin free, cotton muslin puts a protective barrier between your wedding gown and potentially damaging chemicals found in the environment.
Archival Intercept™ for Box Preservation
Archival Intercept™ is a high-tech addition to our Heritage Box™ preservation. It is made by 3M and protects your wedding gown by neutralizing oxidizing gasses in your preservation box such as ozone, carbonyl sulfide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
Veils Included
Both Heritage Couture™ and Heritage Select™ packages include care for your bridal veil. Our Heritage Couture™ package includes care for three accessories, such as bolero jackets, shawls, slips, and gloves. Heritage Select™ package includes care for one accessory. If you do not have a veil, you can include another accessory. Additional accessories can be added to a Heritage Select™ order for an additional fee. Care for bridal shoes is not included in either package.
Expert Repairs Available
Our Heritage Couture™ package includes up to 2 hours of expert repairs so that your wedding gown can look good as new. For our Heritage Select™ package repairs are available for an additional fee. Our expert seamstresses are experienced with repairing many delicate fabrics including lace, tulle, satin, and organza.
Price
You will not find a greater value for your wedding dress cleaning and preservation than the tender loving care of Heritage Garment Preservation. Less expensive care is available but usually with volume cleaning and questionable preservation materials. Many local dry cleaners send their customer’s wedding dresses to wholesale dry cleaners who also clean gowns in large volume and may use low-quality preservation materials.
Protect the most valuable and treasured garment you will ever own with expert individual cleaning and true museum quality preservation from Heritage Garment Preservation. If your budget is tight consider using our Payment Plan with no fees or interest charges.
**Prices start at $299 for wedding dress cleaning and preservation from Heritage Garment Preservation. Cleaning only services (no preservation) start at $199.