Well, if you’re storing a piece of cashmere or silk, that level of compression can damage those natural fibers permanently. And yes, a durable, completely sealed plastic covering absolutely protects textiles from external sources of damage.īut, what does that level of compression do to the individual fibers of each piece of fabric? And what happens to clothes that actually need to “breathe” in the first place if they’re left in storage like this for too long? Here’s the thing - yes, sucking out all the air from around a bundle of clothing does shrink how much space they take up. The problems that come with using vacuum storage bags have to do with why people think they should be using them, and what they’re actually effective at doing. After all, using a household garbage bag may not be a great idea, but it’s an idea that still works - it’s not exactly rocket science, right? And, vacuum storage bags deliver on their promises more often than not. It’s hard to argue against the benefit of shrinking the space bulky clothes and linens took up all while protecting them from the elements. When vacuum storage bags first showed up on the market, you can imagine they might be a pretty big hit. It stands to reason, of course that if anyone’s packing up clothes for vacuum-sealing, it’s not because they’ll be leaving them out in sunlight anywhere any time soon! If you’re concerned about any impact that light exposure might have on your clothes while they’re in vacuum-sealed storage, you can choose brands that make bags from more opaque plastics. Either style can be found in a variety of sizes, but you’re more likely to find extra-large sizes in those with valves compared to roll-up style storage bags. Storage bags that do have a valve for use with a vacuum machine will feature a special zippered opening that allows you to fill the bag up with your garments.

So, you can find storage bags that you can fill with clothing, flatten and roll to push out air and create a vacuum seal. In this use, the term vacuum here refers to the absence of air in the bag - not the household appliance you might use to achieve that lack of air. You’ll also encounter a variety of methods for removing the air from a storage bag. This is a slightly thicker, sturdier type of plastic in most cases, but you might find that less expensive brands aren’t offering much of an improvement on that trash bag hack. Proper vacuum-seal storage bags for clothes should be made of a material substantially more durable than the kind of trash bag you pick up while shopping. Is it still a vacuum storage bag if all you did was stuff your things in a garbage bag and hoovered out the air? Well - technically, it fits the definition, but you definitely don’t want to try this hack if you actually care about protecting your clothes! Surprisingly, this question holds more philosophical weight than you’d think for what appears to be a pretty straightforward topic. Let’s explore all those details and nuances so we can get to the facts at the heart of the matter: do vacuum seal bags ruin clothes? What Are Vacuum Storage Bags? Vacuum storage bags are no exception to this and they endure an interesting reputation for the place they hold in the world of closet organization and design. There seem to be as many myths as there are facts about your best options for storing clothes long term. Do Vacuum Seal Storage Bags Ruin Clothes? August 21, 2020

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