Hi Linda
My friend from who I inherited a large part of my shell collection removed all the cotton from her shell boxes twenty years ago. A very large task by the way. I don't know if it was the threat of insects or something to do with cotton absorbing moisture from the air. Probably other reasons too.
I have continued to use polyester which you can buy as quilt batting for very little money. To date I haven't seen any information that the polyester degrades and gives off harmful products. The shells she changed twenty years ago don't seem to have been hurt by it. I know the foam that sometimes comes under shells in those lovely little boxes can  and does degrade. I would love to hear other opinions positive or negative for cotton or polyester. Thanks.
Gary

--- On Mon, 7/28/08, Linda Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Linda Bush <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: [CONCH-L] Cotton vs. polyester
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Monday, July 28, 2008, 4:55 PM
> HI, All!
>
> I seem to remeber a thread (no pun intended) about not
> using cotton with shells, but polyester instead.   I picked
> up what I thought were some polyester makeup balls this
> afternoon to line a compartmented case.   And then I saw
> that they were 100% cotton.   (How many times do you see
> 100% cotton on anything today?).
>
> Are they safe to use?
>
> Thanks,
> Linda Bush
>
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