Finishing & Archiving

Archival Sleeve

Inert plastic that holds a negative without touching the emulsion.

5Printing & Finishing 35mm strips120 strips4 × 5 sheets

Wear PPE & Ventilate Nitrile gloves Eye protection Cross-flow air Label every bottle Dispose of fixer properly

Finish stage

Archival Sleeve — line drawing with key specifications

Key specifications
Materials	Polyester (Mylar) · polypropylene
Avoid	PVC — releases acid as it degrades
Thickness	≈ 3–5 mil (75–125 µm)
Types	Individual sleeves · strips of 5 · pages with binder holes
Archival test	Passes the Photographic Activity Test (PAT)
Fit	Slightly generous; never tight against the emulsion
Storage	Vertical, in acid-free boxes, cool and dry
Labelling	Write on the sleeve, never on the film

Overview

A negative that survives fifty years will be handled, dropped, stored in a warm room and probably moved house at least once. The sleeve is the only thing standing between the emulsion and all of that.

Two materials are acceptable. Polyester (Mylar) is the gold standard: chemically inert, dimensionally stable, transparent, and it will not outgas. Polypropylene is a good, cheaper second. Polyvinyl chloride — the clear plastic of cheap photo albums — is the one to avoid absolutely: it decomposes and releases hydrochloric acid directly onto the film.

The other requirement is that the sleeve not touch the image. A sleeve that is a tight fit will abrade the emulsion every time the negative is slid in. A slightly generous sleeve, or a sleeve with a separate pocket for the film and one for the contact sheet, is worth the extra space.

What it does well

Polyester is inert and will not outgas onto the emulsion
Binder-punched pages let you file a whole roll in a binder
Strip sleeves let you keep a roll together in order
Separate pockets keep the contact sheet with the negatives
The cheapest insurance in the whole archive

Safety notes

Read before you use itNot hazardous, but PVC sleeves are actively harmful to film. If you cannot identify the plastic, replace it.

Working notes

Never write on a negative. Write on the sleeve, or on the envelope, in archival pencil or pigment ink.
Store sleeves vertically. Horizontal stacks put pressure on the emulsion and invite scratches.
Keep the contact sheet with the negatives so you can identify frames without handling them.
Wash your hands or wear cotton gloves before handling. Skin oil is acidic.

Compatible with

35mm strips120 strips4 × 5 sheetsContact sheets

Educational reference. Specifications and working figures on this page are drawn from published manufacturer documentation and are stated for a small inversion tank at 20 °C unless noted otherwise. They are starting points, not guarantees. Always confirm against the data sheet supplied with your own film, developer, paper and equipment, and follow the manufacturer's safety instructions.