"We've strongly recommended MicroSeal to our yacht clientele for over twelve years"

Sylvia Bolton Interior Design
www.sbd-inc.com

I’m a performer and director of Court Dance and a seamstress for Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. http://www.scarboroughrenfest.com I’ve spent 30 years recreating 16th century clothing for myself, fellow renaissance festival cast members, museums and a member of the REAL royal court of Spain, The Infanta Cristina, 1st Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y de Grecia).

Every year millions of people all across the country attend and perform at renaissance festivals wearing recreations of period 16th century clothing. These festivals require cast members to wear heavy, ground length gowns often costing thousands of dollars. These clothing recreations (costumes) must be worn at least 10 hours a day in all kinds of inclement weather from snow and rain to 105 degrees heat in the blazing Texas summer sun. These extreme weather conditions are very hard on expensive velvets, brocades and are ruinous to fine silks, satins and chiffons.

Fabric protection is an invaluable tool in the longevity of these pricey fabric art forms. I spent years looking and testing fabric treatments that would: Increase fabric natural strength, minimize staining from rain or ANY liquids, some sort of protection/ANY kind of protection from fading due to sun (a Sun Inhibitor). I needed something to protect my costumes from rain, body sweat, little kids nasal drippings and greasy fingers prints, slopped beer and sodas, mud, mud and MORE MUD, not to mention delicate fabrics archenemy-THE BLAZING TEXAS SUN.

For years I researched and tested different fabric protections, with very disappointing results until 2004 when I found MicroSeal. I tested MicroSeal by cutting two, 4x4 inch squares of 100% cotton, dupioni silk, silk velvet, poly/cotton blend velvet, blended brocades, metallic blends, brushed suede, and boot leather. Each 2 squares were in the colors of white, black, red, peacock blue, emerald green and yellow. MicroSeal was sprayed on half of my fabric and color samples and then I subjected all the fabric samples through what a completed costume would endure during the run of an 8 week renaissance festival. I ground mud and dirt into the samples, left them in the rain, dumped dark beer on them, dropped blood, smeared them with food grease and suntan lotion, I even sewed them to the underarms of a tee-shirt and went hiking for 6 hours in the Texas heat. After each separate abuse I used each fabrics recommended cleaning process by either machine wash/dry or dry-clean. MicroSeal had caught my attention. Then I did the ultimate test by taping all the samples to sheet of cardboard AND LEFT them on the shelf of the rear window of my car, in direct sun….for A MONTH, IN JULY……..IN TEXAS!

I was ASTONISHED by these results. The dark fabric samples which were NOT TREATED WITH MICROSEAL had completely faded to gray, the whites looked burned and yellow, and reds were now pale pink. What truly AMAZED me was the actual feel of the fabrics. Most of the untreated samples shredded at the merest touch; the delicate and metallic fabrics literally turned to dust in my hands.
The samples which WERE TREATED WITH MICROSEAL were as strong as when first purchased and showed little to no fading. I was sold on MICROSEAL.

I really love the court gowns I make and wear and I know my fellow cast members feel the same about their costumes. We’ve spent a king’s ransom on fabrics, trims, pearls and semi-precious stones and yet we subject our beloved costumes to the worst weather conditions Mother Nature produces. I will always treat my costumes with MicroSeal and after a long hot rainy day I know my gown will look great for years.
Thank you MicroSeal from the bottom of my mud soaked silk gown to the tip of my pearl crowned head.

Sincerely,
Susan Von R.
a.k.a., Her Imperial Highness, Archduchess Sabine Von Wurttemberg, Scarborough Renaissance Festival, Waxahachie, Texas
www.scarboroughrenfest.com