Click "Sign In" below to access your account
Click "Create Account" to register with lexjet.com
Reality (and the facts behind it): Cotton paper tends to be the material of choice, but that’s mostly due to its perceived value. Contrary to popular perception, there is more than one source for longevity ratings.
A variety of tests and testing organizations certify the archival qualities of paper and ink combinations. Wilhelm Imaging Research, RIT Image Permanence Institute, FOGRA, and the Fine Art Trade Guild (which utilizes the Blue Wool 6 criteria) all have a wealth of knowledge and years of data to support their test methods and criteria.
There are two basic materials used to make fine art papers -- cotton and alpha cellulose. Traditionally, cotton papers were made from rags refined to make paper. Modern cotton papers are made from very small cotton fibers called linters that are too short to be utilized for textile production.
Wood pulp in its natural form contains lignin, a glucose that can cause paper to turn yellow and become brittle over time. In order to make wood pulp into archival-grade alpha cellulose, it must be treated to remove the lignin.
Both cotton and alpha cellulose papers are fully archival when produced to the proper specifications. Archival-grade papers are acid-free, lignin-free, buffered with calcium carbonate, and have a pH between 7.5 and 9.0. All LexJet Sunset papers, for instance, are made from archival-grade papers.
Digital art papers have an inkjet receptive layer or coating that captures the ink as it hits the paper, controlling the dot and keeping the colorant near the surface to produce more vibrant colors than uncoated stock. In order to be archival, the combined pH of the coating and base papers must be pH neutral (>7.0).
Myth: Archival is archival in all applications.
Reality: Longevity is a function of the ink, paper, and display conditions. All three need to be addressed to assure maximum longevity. A perfectly produced print that is displayed in direct sunlight or framed incorrectly can fade or have a color shift regardless of the paper utilized. You can take every precaution with archival paper and ink combinations, only to have the image fade due to poor display conditions.