STOP Using PVC Covers on Your Vinyl Before It’s Too Late!
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- čas přidán 18. 05. 2024
- Looking after your vinyl collection is a top priority for all record collectors, but can protecting it ultimately damage it? In this video, we look at one of the most damaging conditions which can affect any record stored in PVC covers - plastic migration. We look at how and why it happens and find out what you can do to prevent it. WARNING: this video contains images of original Beatles albums in distress!
0:00 - Intro
0:27 - Vinyl care today.
1:00 - Today's video is inspired by The Beatles.
1:17 - How record companies used to tell you how to look after vinyl.
2:35 - Vintage vinyl unboxing horror story.
7:07 - All about PVC.
8:01 - Off-gassing.
9:01 - Oils in PVC covers & another horror story.
10:17 - Only on one side.
11:57 - Selling PVC covers to collectors.
12:44 - How to tell if covers are made from PVC.
12:55 - What covers are safe?
13:21 - Storing 45s.
14:28 - Outro.
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The biggest takeaway here should be that when it comes to storing your records, make sure that you avoid exposing them to heat - especially for long periods of time. I've been buying vinyl since the 70's. Aside from storing records properly as noted in this video, my best piece of advice is simple: always be sure to put your LP's away as soon as you are done playing them.
I don’t know I found a box of records stored in an attic in Florida for 20 years … except for the covers have it been chewed on by attic rats all the records with a little cleaning played awesome …
Yeah .. records are tough. They. Withstand DJs In clubs abusing them ...just clean with warm water and fairy liquid and clean sponge..pat dry with kitchen roll..and wave in air to air dry...my vinyls are immaculate and I've recorded off for a reissue project that was then pressed to vinyl .. perfect.
And don't use PVC
There's a reason modern inner and outer protective sleeves are made of HDPE. Because Polyurethane doesn't stick to cardboard, yellow, or de-gas into records.
Whenever I receive an LP I throw the PVC sleeve out straight away.
Cheers Gandalf.
There's a huge difference between PVC sleeves and modern polyethylene and polypropylene sleeves, which are completely safe and can protect collections.
Polyolefins (aka polyethylene and polypropylene) are plasticizer free. PVC is naturally hard and brittle so plasticizers are used to convert it into something flexible.
Looosers still listen to these vinyls 😂🤣😂
Thanks for the clarification. A quick check confirms my covers are Made from High-Density Polypropylene. However I will be checking to see what my local record shop uses for the albums they sell, all of which came
In a sleeve.
How do you tell the difference?
How do you know that..see how it is in 30 years
That was shocking. You would never expect an outer pvc sleeve to affect the record through the sleeve. I used them for decades, but never encountered any problems. Just goes to show, don't take anything for granted! 😊
Fifty years no problems at all with PVC covers. I think people room temperature or storage are iffy and causing a chemical reaction.
Or just goes to show you he…might be wrong
It's called de-gassing.
It's a chemical reaction that happens between those old PVC sleeves and the LP since both are made from the same kind of plastic and I imagine the paper and cardboard is porous enough the reaction happens right through it.
But how can this come as a surprise for anyone over 40? This was well known in the 1980's and 90's.
@@saftfan I started collecting records over 40 years ago, but it was never brought to my attention - not until I saw this video and, at around the same time, a thread at Discogs. What I don't get is why they're still the norm. The mind boggles.
Having worked in a record shop, I can attest to this. I saw far too many otherwise rare records ruined in this way. Tragic really.
Something else to add… Acouple of years ago I bought 200 PVC covers to protect my albums but in just weeks I noticed they had become extremely static-y and the pops and crackles (on previously quiet running records) was so prominent they were unlistenable. I immediately removed all the sleeves and recleaned the records. Now, learning about this reaction I’m even more glad I discarded those dastardly things. I live in a warm dry climate. Thanks!
Story very much reminded me of the toxic nightmare a new car interior presents. That new car smell is a killer.
Thank you for this video. The same phenomenon has damaged much of my CD collection. To save on storage space, I removed my CDs from their original containers and put them in bramd-new photo album-type CD holders that you can put on a bookshelf. The smell of brand-new plastic was unmistakable, but I didn't know any better then. In just a few months, the smooth and transparent playing surfaces of my CDs became mottled. The damage replicates the dimple patterns of the plastic sleeves. Some of the CDs are still playable, but annoying drop-outs tend to.occur. The rest are completely unplayable.
Let this video be a warning to CD owners, too. Thanks again.
CD are waaaaay more sensitive to light CONTACT scratches. Vinyl is most definitely not
As soon as I watched this I went through my entire collection and found three of these (mostly on EPS and 45s). I immediately tossed them. Thanks for the information! This was really well done and more people should know about this. I have come across a few of these "sticky" covers while digging through bargain bins and I never knew why it was happening. I will tell others about this for sure!
I think I'd cut off these PVC covers that are sticking to the sleeves rather than sliding my hand between the cover and sleeve and hoping not to damage the edges of the sleeve. You're throwing the PVC cover out anyway and can more carefully remove it by cutting it. Same goes for blank paper inner sleeves. I replace all of them with mofi style inners, so tear off the paper inner sleeve, to minimize paper scuffing of the record.
Are plastic/pretty soft covers alright for vinyl
Polythene (polyethelene) plastic is fine. PVC is based on vinyl which is like a crystal. A plasticizer is used to soften it but evaporates over time leaving it brittle like 60's car seats.
@@KevinHallSurfing Thanks Kevin. Yes - the old style soft lined inner bags are fine - never ever PVC.
PVC outer covers were indeed used in some record shops just to protect empty sleeves handled by the public. I don't recall them being supplied to the customer.
At W G Windows, you could take the sleeve to the counter. The sleeve would then go back into the 'rack' and you'd be handed an unmolested product from correct storage.
If it was the last pressing in stock, the assistant would remove the protective cover and insert the correctly stored disc.
Yes, I agree. I have a site on Facebook dedicated to ultrasonic record cleaning. I always advise to get rid of paper inner sleeves and replace with poly lined sleeves or a least use poly record bags if you have sleeves with artwork or those brutal hard cardboard sleeves that came with some records in the 70's and 1980's. The paper or card fibres alone can get deep into the records grooves. Paper sleeves can attract mold as well.
Haha I was watching him sliding his fingers into the sleeve and screaming in my mind, “just cut the thing off!”
I'm 59 and collected vinyl in the 70s and 80s. Sold most but now have returned to vinyl. In my older collecting days, I had no notion that people put their records into extra poly covers. I only noticed this trend when starting to buy second-hand records through online suppliers recently. However, everyone commenting below seems to be using them! Is this a specialized 'collectors' thing? I just bought LPs to listen to the music and still do. Always stored them upright and away from heat as recommended. People seem to be fixated on protecting the outer sleeves. I've got LPs that are 40 years old and the outer covers are in very good condition without the use of PVC or any other outer sleeves.
In my fifty years record collecting experience, I have found the issues that you pointed out to be caused by the quality of the PVC covers, storage and room temperature. I have PVC covers from `Our Price` records store 1980s and no issues at all. The PVC demonstrated in your video are the close fitting & softer covers that I notice had issue and use to throw away when a record came with them on.
I went through my parents' record collection a year or two ago and replaced the old PVC outers that were on some of the albums and 45s with heavy polythene outers. Without exception, all of the PVC outers were yellowed, brittle and had a wrinkled outline of the records within the jackets. Several were also stuck to the jackets and required some gentle encouragment to separate. Quite a few of the 45s had suffered from audible misting, but the albums thankfully seem to have fared better. I'm just glad I had heard of this phenomenon and was able to rectify it before any further damage could be done.
Worryingly, I've recently had a couple of new records shipped to me ready-packaged in PVC outers, which I immediately chucked in the bin (the sleeves that is, not the records!).
he did another mistake in video! he should cut off the pvc cover piece by piece indeed doing it with his hand... !
Very interesting about how the plastic affects the record.
I live in a humid climate so know to take plastic off everything or else it traps humidity and therefore mould.
I store my records without plastic and a ‘damp rid’ container to trap moisture.
In the comic book collectors sphere it is handeld in a similar way.
I think there is no comic book bag in PVC availible anymore, because it was widely spread that PVC is not good for comic book storage.
Almost every comic book bag is made of PP (Polypropylen).
For extra long time storage there is a special polyethylen. It is called Mylar.
PET foil (aka Mylar, polyester) is AFAIK even better (and withstands UV) and hence is used by museums. This is not PP but the same stuff plastic bottles are made of.
I've seen that clouding on some discs; now I know why, thank you. Decades ago, I bought some records from a Library clearance. I'm glad I removed all those PVC sleeves.
OMG. Thank you so much!!!
I’m a relatively new collector and have been putting all my records in these PVC outer sleeves! You just saved my whole collection. I’m so thankful right now!
Within the next year I’ll be shipping overseas via sea and who knows what temperatures fluctuations they may experience. I though I was giving them the best chance - man was I wrong! Thank you 🙏
I'm glad he posted this. He did help alot of people.
Apart from... you don't find PVC sleeves today. They are PE or PP (Polyethylene or Polypropylene) or something.
@@j.m.w.5064 I checked the listings where I bought mine over the last 10 years, and most say PVC, including the ones I bought a couple of weeks ago.
I'm old time collector.Collecting records from early 70's and all ,almost all of my records are stored in anti static inner and covers in strong pvc sleeves and must say that I have never seen this problem on my records.
so you had good moderate temps. heat was the trigger for problems as was explained
The anti-static inners might be better at protecting the gas leaking through than paper inners. I'd still get rid of them though.
I have been using outer sleeves for 50 years and there has never been any issues at all. But I am North America so maybe the sleeves sold here are fine.
@@lstefansPVC plasticizer off-gases not only when too hot, but theoretically even at any temperature above absolute zero (0K); however heat strongly accelerates it (and warps your records).
Hi Andrew, I, probably along with countless others purchased these pvc covers thinking you were protecting you record collection. I purchased the majority of mine in the 1980's. Fortunately I did away with these when I couldn't fit the records snuggly on a new bookcase. Unbeknown to me, doing that has saved my collection from damage.
Your video has ultimately saved many vinyl record collectors from doing harm to their records
Funnily enough it was the extra space they took up that added to my dislike of them. I thought records stacked vertically closely together would do a fair enough job of protecting the sleeves, which of course it did. Also the room I keep them in has the radiator resolutely locked into the off position and the open ends of the bookcases they're in face away from the window (I use two Ikea Billy's arranged in an L-shape in one corner of the room, with the one parallel to the window with its back to the window, so the two together form a shadowed little alcove with no heat or direct sunlight).
Snuggly is overpacked. this can lead to warping
When I first started buying records in the early 70s , they often came in these sleeves , and I initially thought them a good idea . However as my collection grew , I found the main issue with PVC sleeves were twofold . Firstly they stuck together , so trying to get one record out of the shelf , you always had to separate it from the ones on either side ; secondly , these PVC sleeves made it very difficult to actually see which was the record you actually wanted .
I actually binned PVC sleeves many years ago , and because I was an audiophile from day one ; my first job was working in a Hi-Fi shop on Saturdays , and as soon as I was finished , I went straight to the record shop up the street to buy another album . I looked after my records very carefully ,never loaned them out , and the worst turntable they were ever played on was a Pioneer PL12D with Shure M75EDII cartridge , which was my first turntable , so all are in good as new condition .
Vinyl is still my first choice for listening to music , and I still regularly buy new records . Modern pressings on 800g vinyl are just so much better than some of what went before , although it was always possible to get good pressings , luck sometimes came into it , and there was an awful lot of rubbish put out back in the bad old days ; some pressings to poor that if you held them up to the light , you could actually see through them !
Thanks, Andrew! I recently bought polythene sleeves without knowing the damage PVC would do to the records. Now I know and will stay away from PVC and heat. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.
Glad I could help, Jorge!
Polyethylene is not PVC, it does not have the added plasticizers that PVC sleeves have 🫤
I knew about this before and have sometimes checked and changed, though never systematically. Just checked now and found three, so you've rescued a 1st press Public Enemy on Def Jam, John Lennon Mind Games, and a Deerhunter record (oddly this came in a PVC jacket in 2013). PVC sleeves now banished and records saved from gassy plastic doom!
Actually...records were fine but Deerhunter came with a free cd of album which was in a miniature PVC sleeve. CD surface is trashed! Now I have to check all of those included cds!
😢
THE BEST description I have seen of this issue, well done!
Thanks!
@@ParlogramThe PVC plasticizer off-gases not only when too hot, but theoretically even at any temperature above absolute zero (0K); however heat strongly acellerates it (and warps your records). Plasticizer oil (formerly phthalate) rather smells a bit like earwax; the "fresh paint"/household glue smell are additional solvents from production (well known from cheap new beachballs and airmats). The best protection foil would be PET (aka Mylar or Polyester) which contains no plasticizer and is quite UV resistant. I saw a TV docu that they even resarch on making records from PET (recycled bottles) instead of PVC now due to environmental concerns.
I'm so glad your video was recommended. I've only been collecting for a little under a decade now and have never considered what sleeves I should use for storage.
Thanks for the info. I checked mine and they’re polythene (phew!). I only recently decided to put my albums in sleeves, as the area I now live is a place where silverfish like to live, and they love coming into houses to eat paper and card. I found one who had decided that the cover of my Pipes of Peace album looked tasty, but it didn’t survive to sample it. It was my wake up call to protect my albums. Something I have always done is kept shrink-wrap on albums, which I suppose could be a protection for people who have pvc sleeves.
Some box sets use a thin white or yellow foam to protect the records from moving about. Over a long time, this foam deteriorates into a powder that can coat the inside of the box. It won't damage the records, and it can be brushed or washed away, but you can avoid this by discarding the foam.
I have never experienced any cloudy records I found second hand. Thats weird how the pvc migration goes right thru the record sleeve and thru the inner sleeve too. That was real informative, thanks for sharing this info!
Excellent advice! I had no idea I’ve seen this type of damage before and had no idea how it happened.
Currently using my recording studio to digitise all my old records, noticed this fogging on a lot of them and wondered what it was..... I've just removed and disposed of every plastic cover from every record. Don't care what type they were. Thank you for making this video.
How are you storing the actual vinyl then? Are you using polyethylene sleeves for them or keeping in original paper sleeves. Oh yeah, some new vonyl now comes with polyethylene inner sleeves, so what about that? Hahahhahsh
As a teenager in 1980. I bought 2 dozen of these plastic trace paper-like audiophile grade inner sleeves for my favorite most cherished records. I would say these sleeves worked quite well up to about 5 years ago, when I suddenly noticed some of them starting to crack and break up at the slightest bend literally crumbling to dust. luckily it did little damage to the records themselves. but I did replace all my original 1980's inner sleeves. Something to consider when using some plastic inner sleeves their shelf life may be limited to a few decades.
Thanks for sharing this video. Excellent scientific breakdown of what can go awry in the storage department and proving too that there is always something new to learn! I often wondered what caused that mottling effect and now a few more of us know! I think it's worth reiterating that so long as ambient temperatures can be regulated at all times there's no need to panic. Especially for those like me with a full set of PVC-protected records but not the wherewithal to replace them at this time.
And those crinkly INNER clear sleeves Columbia used in the mid60s. Simon and Garfunkel, Byrds, Tony Bennett and Sinatra mostly used these. They actually stick to and imprint on the vinyl
What a useful video, Andrew! I never realised how damaging PVC covers were until now. I removed the covers from my vinyl albums some years ago so that they fitted on the shelves better but still have vinyl singles in what I now suspect may be the dreaded PVC covers! Thanks for another great presentation and your description of the properties of PVC and polythene!
Thanks for the explanation, now I finally know what happened to the let it be and queen II vinyl copies I got
Phew Andrew. All my albums are in polythene sleeves. Such a helpful video
Love how the vultures start in on you to point out any fault they (in their mind) can come up with. Thank-you for giving sound advice to those that haven't found out the hard way, as most do, I have a friend who though young as we were 55 yrs ago always purchased two of all his albums, one to play one to lock away as I recall he put plastic sleeves on his. I hope he chose the proper products. Knowing Tim he kept up on the info and probably knew this long ago( I should give him a call) but for the rest of us I thank you for the information. Save many a costly and irreplaceable mistake.
Thanks a million about this info , never ever has crossed my mind that the pvc outer sleeves could cause such damage to the vinyl record , Looking forward to purchase some polyethylene cover sleeves.
Katta Sleeves are amazing, they are glass clear, and for long storage, and anti static or lined or whatever you want in all sizes.
Its all fun with no sleeves but once you remove them a lot the cover will worn down plus with those crystal clear katta sleeces your covers look even nicer.
I just started collecting vinyl records about 2 years ago and I feel very lucky that I found all this information before it was too late. Pretty much my entire collection is newer metal records that were still factory sealed, I had no idea that leaving them in shrink wrap could be bad for them as well. It's just so hard to open a sealed record that is limited to 100 copies worldwide, but it beats the alternative. Because even though some are less than 1 year old they're already worth a few hundred dollars. I would've literally cried if they ended up damaged years down the road as my investment would've been for nothing. Thanks for the info!
The shrink wrap on your new record shouldn't be PVC, it's most likely Polyethylene, which doesn't cause the problem. But as other have said, heat is more of the concern.
Informative video regarding something I and suspect, many others were not aware of. Brought to mind something I experienced within the last year. I purchased an original 1979 made in Holland "Rarities" with the shrink and "Jem" imports on the cover intact but opened on one side to inspect the record just prior to the seller posting it on Ebay. The record was mint and in it's poly lined inner. When I attempted to remove the shrink from the cover as I always do, the shrink was stuck to part of the front cover and also the back. It was impossible to remove without taking areas of the front cover with it. I ended up leaving the shrink on not wishing to further damage the cover. There was no odor. I had never experienced anything like this before. The record inside was mint clean and still is. I guess I was lucky there. I guess I should store the record away from the cover as well. Thanks, Andrew, once again.
Hi Andrew. This was a scary to find out after all these years. I've now found some time to bin all my covers, some of which were wrinkling and some were starting to get sticky. The ones on the 45s are the stickiest so thanks very much for the info.
Thanks for posting. Great video. Some of the mid 1960s pressings from Decca UK and EMI UK used a PVC lined paper inner sleeve. Even without heat under normal storage conditions, I lost a few of these titles due to PVC plasticizer migration from the inner sleeve onto the record itself. Polyethylene inner and outer sleeves are the best to use. PE is much more inert than PVC.
Super interesting and useful video (as usual)! I did go through my collection after watching your video and none of my standard LPs and 45s were inside PVC sleeves (whew!), but I’m an avid picture disc collector (mainly Marillion) and many of those originally came inside PVC sleeves (some with hype stickers attached to them). I am assuming that picture discs are also susceptible to the damage you described so I changed them all (and kept the ones with hype stickers separate). Thank you so much for helping to preserve our collections!
explains very well how to protect your vinyl record treasures and rarities. very useful and helpful. my records have survived all adversities well. i'm so happy about it because i haven't listened to them for over two decades and have left them in their cases, but of course in the luxury inner sleeves. valuable and beautiful things deserve the best possible care. and now a lot of them are more valuable than before.
I've been a record collector for almost 60 years and buy a lot of second hand records. Fortunately I've only seen this condition a few times and always wondered what caused it. My collection is in a very old house in closed metal and wooden cabinets in the lounge and garage. Due to thick walls these are located in areas that are cool, my main issue is fighting mold which is a mainly a problem on the bottom shelf next to the floor.
There was a time when some albums were manufactured with a plastic inner sleeve that looked like a safe polybag but was not. It caused this very same problem on both sides of an album. Needless to say the few that I came across in my collection were replaced before irreparable damage could be done. This video will certainly help in avoiding these issues.
I've noticed that before too.
Thanks so much for the video. I binned all my PVC sleeves after you mentioned the fogging issue in a previous video. On the subject of warping, in my experience, new, sealed pressings are frequently warped or dished, to the point where I'm reluctant to buy new. There has to be an issue with quality control in the pressing plants.
Whenever I've seen videos showcasing the "brilliant work" that "artisan pressing plants" are doing these days, they take you through the process and the end product, to my eyes, looks awful. Always badly warped and trimmed. "...and now they just go to the packing machine..."
This would explain some of my Brother's records having what looked like water spots or water damage to them. I couldnt figure out how the vinyl looked that way yet have a NM cover. Now I know. I am currently in process of replacing all of his PVC covers to a flapped cover I buy from Crystal Clear Bags here in Canada. I also stored mine in PVC covers for the last 40+ years but never in an environment where my records were subjected to any heat in any form. 3 yrs ago I changed all mine to a 2mil resealable polypropylene cover stored at a median temperature of 70 degrees F. Great video!
Thanks for the heads up, just replaced a good few of these sleeves on my dad's old record collection. I can see some damage on the records themselves, but luckily it doesn't seem to affect the sound. Thank you!!
didn't realize this, but glad to know now. still gonna stick with outer sleeves (that are safe) though because I noticed a few times moving some records on my shelf that dust has gotten in between them and/or they had small scratches from rubbing against each other, before I had any kind of outer sleeves. this issue increases tenfold with box sets and slip cases
The limited edition 1996 4AD clear vinyl pressing of "Lovelife" by Lush came packaged in a PVC cover as well as the three 7" singles from the album. Every sealed copy of this album and singles I have seen so far has clouding damage from the PVC gassing.
I separated the colour vinyl Lush 7"s from the PVC covers the moment I bought them. Those covers were just an utter nightmare and ruined some of my 1980s 'clear edged' picture discs.
Thank you for this info. I was't aware of this, will definitely go over my collection.
Hi, Andrew! Leaving in a hot and humid city like I do, using any outer plastic bag is not always the best way to protect your records as they create a nice condition for mold growing. Those yellow or brownish round stains that appear on cover, inner seelves and records themselves are the result of using them. So, I´ve been taking out the outer plastic bags from most of my records. Also, after reading about plastic migration on the Record Collector magazine many years ago, I immediately got rid of of some french pvc sleeves I was using in some of my 45s. Best, Nelio.
Thanks for this! Happily, the majority of my records are in polyethylene sleeves, and I like them because the covers don't rub together and it makes them easier to get in and out of the shelves. I did have a couple that were PVC - they had been shipped that way - but happily they had polyethylene inner sleeves, and I must have unstuck them from the covers in the past as the covers don't have damage. Never really bought PVC myself as I considered it a waste of money since polyethylene was just fine.
Andrew, Many thanks for this latest video as I have had the exact same problem with some of my albums purchased in the 70s as I bought those PVC covers for them at the same time. I recently went through my collection and couldn't work out why some of my albums had a oily sheen over one side. Thanks to your video I am today going through my collection and removing the offending PVC sleeves.
Glad it helped, Peter. Thanks for watching.
I began collecting back in 1971 as a ten year old. 've always taken great care of my collection- vinyl & cd- I've never loaned them out to anyone, I've never cleaned them with any chemicals and I've never placed them in any kind of plastic covers. My collection is in great condition. I wince every time I see records that have been "abused"- how on earth do people get them in that state? The very idea of buying 2nd hand vinyl sets my teeth on edge- why should I risk damaging my hi fi equipment? When I see some of the quack and totally bonkers cleaning tips on the internet- using PVA wood glue, placing warped records in a domestic oven... crazy expensive record cleaning machines and gadgets- I wonder how we survived without it all back in the day.
Great video. This is an important subject that doesn't get discussed enough. 👍
On some of those stubborn PVC sleeves that don't want to come off, a slice down the middle with an X-acto knife might work better instead of trying to slide the jacket out of those sticky, gooey skeeves.
Hi Andrew, very informative thanks, too late for me though. Although my LPs were generally OK due to the laminated sleeves, my 7inch singles and picture discs are shot. Virtually all of them are marred by the clouding you described. I removed all the PVC from my collection about 4 years ago now and salvaged what I could. Cheers Matt
I will definitely have to check my Vinyl Collection. Thanks for highlighting this issue.
We learn something new every day. I'm not sure what my outer sleeves are so I'm definitely checking them tonight. Thank you for the information.
Some of my records I have kept in pvc covers for many years and there has been no ''pvc migration'' on the vinyl. I keep them away from heat sources of course but I live in Greece, where it gets from hot to very hot, for at least 3 months a year. But this has not affected my recors, pvc covered or not.
Very informative, Andrew! All of my albums are as nature intended.😀
Thank you for this .. since watching this I have binned all the PVC outer sleeves on my entire collection and my records can breathe once more. I only noticed the fogging effect on 3-4 albums so I feel very lucky and grateful that you warned me in the nick of time.
I think that you will find it is damp that is a significant factor......and as most flats and houses have damp atmospheres, anything left untouched for any significant time, will be affected.
Very interesting. In the past I have not been impressed by the few PVC covers I have. I was more worried by what I perceived as shrinkage (that rippled effect) and worried it might warp the disc. What you describe I recall seeing on records, that imprint pattern. I thought it might be the inner plastic sleeve, but now I am enlightened. 99% of my LPs are in polythene covers, but many of them are just falling apart now.
Excellent stuff. I never new about the difference between PVC and polythene. Will definitely be removing all my PVC covers. Will check the albums as I do so. In fact as you mentioned it does beg the question about polythene as well as when storing records vertically the polythene tends to gets rucked up when replacing it back amongst all the other albums. Oh, to have such first world problems.
Kudos on this most helpful and amazingly researched content. I am always impressed with your videos though which strive for precision and quality in substantial content. 😊
I use these alternative Sleeves from these Milky and thick Polythene materials. Not only for my 33rpm and 45rpm Vinyls but also for my Laserdiscs. Totally worth getting and basically perfect for double-albums because of the generous space they provide.
There are two Elvis EP collections from the UK put out in the 1980's that came in books with PVC pockets inside. I have never seen an unaffected record from either of these 12 disc sets. As you said, companies should know better. Great job. Take care...
They DO know better, but know you will buy it anyway. And you will.
I guarantee you it’s a cost choice. They already have their money by the time the PVC starts destroying things.
Thank you for this hugely informative video. I knew that PVC sucks but I wasn't sure what was the reason of the mottling or cloudiness on a lot of my purely stored records. I have started replacing all of them with new polythelene sleeves but following your reasoned advice I'll probably stop spending on them as well. You've got yourself a new subscriber!
Thanks Zisis and welcome aboard!
Remember how all our family photo albums from the 80's got stuck to the pages. Whole generations and we never thought about it. Basically with L.P's like photographs keep away from heat, excessive moisture and plastic! As a postcard collector (over 3000) I was incredibly worried about how to store them. In th end I put them in Archival-Grade Ultra Clear Polypropylene.
Non-PVC premium sleeves and Acid-Free.. Then put that in a tougher Made of heavy- duty Polypropylene. Seems to have worked. I'll be dead before they go anyway. This video is a great informative one. It has also persuaded me to stick with cds.
Now you have me racing to my record collection. Thanks for sharing
Annoyingly, some modern releases come with PVC covers straight out of the factory. Usually picture discs or grey-market releases where the record color is a big selling point.
Just been through my Beatles and related section. I've found many sticky sleeves, no damage to the records as yet. What I did notice is that the sleeves I recall buying in the 70's seem to be in quite good condition. However the ones I recall buying in the 80's include a high proportion with the pvc deteriorating.
Thanks for sharing, Sev.
Fascinating. The amount of records I once had which I was of proud of as being protected . Fortunately I have learnt !!
Mind blown! “Useful and informative” af. Thank you!
Increíble explicación acerca de la degradación del plástico. Sin embargo pese a que aparentemente las fundas de PVC "protegen" la portada, si hay un poco de humedad, solo harían que se impregne al PVC haciendo imposible su separación y dejando gran parte del arte pegado al PVC. Así que tuviste mucha suerte que eso no pasara.
¡Gran video!
Very useful video - I never realised. All my vinyl that I collected in the 80's I suspect are in PVC sleeves as the covers feel completely to the ones I buy today. I am lucky in that there seems to be no damage but new non PVC covers are ordered. I think they were never exposed to heat. My first pressing of the Wall bought in 1980 is in a PVC cover with the PVC sticker but no damage - phew.
Oh wow interesting.
So are you going to keep the sticker somewhere else now to prevent possible damage to the record?
he did another mistake ! he should cut off the pvc cover piece by piece indeed doing it with his hand... !
This is one of the most important and helpful videos I’ve seen pertaining to collecting and storing vinyl. Thank you, sir.
You're very welcome.
I don't usually store my records in those sort of sleeves but I have a bunch that were given to me years ago that do have sleeves and I just left them in them not thinking much about it, I will be checking them to make sure that none of them are PVC. Thank you.
I have a PHILIPS classical LP from the 1960s from their DELUXE series, which came in a PVC outer. That PVC is part of the original packaging and unfortunately cannot be removed without totally damaging the cover. The record label is wine-red, and I‘ve always been curious as to why a mysterious red round shadow of that label appears inside both sides of the PVC gatefold, even though the LP is in its separate cardboard inner and does not touch the PVC at all. Online photos of other records from that series shows the same problem, so it‘s not just mine. Thanks to your video, now I know what caused it.
Forgot to mention: fortunately, the LP is not affected. Also, the outer may be acetate instead of PVC, but I‘m not knowledgeable enough to tell the difference.
For the last few years I have been ordering my outer and inner sleeves from Vinyl Storage Solutions from Canada. They make good non pvc products. I highly recommend them. The 3mil inner rice paper sleeves are the best I’ve seen.
Their stuff is fantastic! Polypropylene outers.
I will not store my records in anything that does not come from Vinyl Storage Solutions. They are the best on the planet.
I also much prefer their firmer and softer 3 mil inner sleeves over MOFI's, the latter of which are way too thin and flimsy.
Yep. I learned about that site from Frank at 33 RPM. Just got in another order a few days ago. I'm about a year into collecting so was happy to learn about CPP early on in my journey so I could pay up front and get those instead of replacing them later down the line.
For inner sleeves I have an assortment of VSS, MoFi, MA Recordings, and even some Nagoaka ones. Sleeve City USA has some great ones for double LPs that are very handy (heard about them in a handy YT comment).
I look forward to enjoying my music with my niece (if we ever share similar tastes) and future family.
Thanks for publishing this. I used to buy these PVC outer covers to protect my singles in the 1980s, but since most independent record shops closed down, the sleeves became unavailable. Thank God for that. Of the six hundred singles and E.P.s I still have, about fifty of them are still in these sleeves, mainly they are The Beatles singles, the 1980s reissues in the green covers (notice how I avoided saying "green sleeves" there) and their E.P.s. I've now removed them from the offending items but they don't seem to have done any damage.
The reissues as picture discs, however, were sold in the PVC covers and have been in direct contact with the discs. No damage is noticeable, but as these were never meant to be played, it is not as worrying.
While going through my complete singles collection, now kept in three silver boxes holding approximately 200 each, I noticed that at one time I had bought three unofficial Beatles singles, part of a series called The Beatles 1962 Live Recordings, so presumably they are all taken from the Star Club recordings. On the front of each paper sleeve is the same black-and-white photograph, while the rear of the sleeve contains the same text stating that "This is one of fifteen singles which together comprise a typical show by the group at this pivotal stage sin their career." Can you offer any more information on these?
Thanks for this video Andrew. I went through my collection and 2 of my records had PVC sleeves, changed them to poly ones.
I went through my collection and removed some PVC covers. One was a vinyl copy of Anthology 1, which was in a sleeve that was noticeably wrinkling. Thankfully I don't seem to have too many, and those I have haven't caused any problems for the records or the sleeves. I do wonder if it's related to living in New Zealand. Our housing stock is notorious for being poorly insulated, and central heating and double glazing are rare things here, so perhaps the PVC never got warm enough to cause any issues.
Thanks for that. I've just ditched twelve of those PVC outers. Thankfully they haven't damaged the vinyl, even though I live in Australia, a notoriously hot country. I do have a copy of AC/DC's TNT, an Australian only album, and the PVC outer sleeve has made the cardboard sleeve sticky, but the vinyl is ok, which is fortunate, because these albums go for stupid money nowadays.
How long did you have them in the covers?
@@camacarzie12 I imagine some of them since new, because they had record store logos on them. Fortunately none of the records themselves seem to be affected.
In the 70's or '80's I found plastic bag outside sleeve protectors... and my records have survived perfectly; Can't find those cheap "bags" today.
As a record collector, I appreciate all of your information. I unpack my albums tomorrow!
That is interesting, my record collection is for more than 80% bought in the 80's. Back then I bought an inner and outer sleeve together with each record. None of my records have this issue. What I did notice is that many sleeves have become brittle but that is to their own detriment. The paper/carton record sleeves they have been holding are all in very good condition.
Thank you so much for sharing this information I had lost nearly all my older records and I’m trying to re-collect them again and I’m getting a lot of these vinyls with these pvc sleeve protectors and I thought that was great but now thanks to your information I’m getting rid of them and hopefully I’ll be able to take care of these vinyl records for years to come ! Thanks again this really means a lot to me !
Priceless information. Many thanks!
Very interesting video Andrew! Fortunately I didn’t start using sleeve protectors until more recently and I use only polythene covers. I think some of the vinyl I may have purchased online my have come in PVC sleeves so I will switch them out, thanks very much !
So glad I watched this and will immediately go through my collection, for me one of the main problems with those hard plastic sleeves can be is catching the vinyl itself as you take it in and out, especially when drunk 🙄😳😁
Which country are you from? This is not a problem if you're not exposed to a lot of heat. Never store you records in an attic or loft in the US for instance. An attic can also get pretty hot in northern countries as well, but rarely in our living room.
@@rabarebra the UK, but I have seen this problem here, like you say be careful where and how you store them.
@@theblurredcrusade.2557 Heat has never been a problem in Scandinavia, unless you put them out in the sunshine, or store them on a loft in summer heat. In normal circumstances, you'll never run into this problem.
Buying used records you need to be careful with. Always inspect carefully and look at the items before you buy.
So it is also important to keep the plastic sleeves sober! :D
Wow! I just found out that newly covered vinyl interior parts of my classic car is what's causing my windows to get a thick film on the inside. I can't keep them clean! This video demonstrates exactly why and how it's happening.
Thanks for filling in a gap in my knowledge. I collect mainly second hand vintage classical and had always assumed when the inner sleeve was welded to the vinyl this had been caused by damp getting in rather than heat damage. I have had a look through my own collection as I did buy some of the pvc covers around 15 years ago thankfully nothing horrible to report but some are starting to wrinkle so best to replace with,polythene just in case. I am hoping that the outer sleeve of best of Blur double album will stay ok in the long run as it is an integral part of a classic bit of Brit pop sleeve art.
Again good and interesting video, so thank you. Heat is the biggest problem. Albums will warp in a heartbeat. Smoking is a big problem. I use to smoke and it's amazing how much of it gets on everything. Changing your needle, an older damaged needle will tear the vinyl up quickly. I suggest changing the outer plastic about 5 years in, and like you said avoid the PVC for storage.
I''ve successfully used plastic covers to protect my jackets for over 30 years. None has ever stuck to the jacket or damaged the record in any way. The real problem is the original shrink wrap. Whenever someone says they have a 60's or 70's record that is still in the shrink wrap, I wonder why? Take off the shrink and make sure the record hasn't warped. By the way, keeping a record in original shrink wrap doesn't increase the value...and you'd better check the condition of the record inside.
Hi Andrew, just watched your video with shock and horror as all my records LPs and 45s are in pvc covers. One thing I also do is put my records into lined sleeves to protect them. The ones I buy from an advert in record collector have been fine. However, some I have bought from a different (cheaper) company, and the poly lined ones that come with brand new records, have been awful. I noticed by chance that the marks that you spoke about on the records was happening with these cheaper inners,and also little bits of plastic was being left on the vinyl, also no amount of cleaning will remove it.These inner sleeves seem excellent as they have a nice thick feel to the paper and seem like a good thing especially as record companies are using them for new records. I think they are invented by the devil, please avoid at all costs. Now, what do I do about my pvc sleeves? Thank you for an interesting video as always.
You can throw away the PVC sleeves in the recycling containers for plastic materials, like plastic food containers, packaging or plastic toys. Do not throw them in the normal house-rubbish. If there's a place locally who collects all sorts of rubbish that need to be collected somewhere for recycling purposes (batteries, empty or half-empty paint / varnish containers) you can take them there too :)
Really Great video for collectors!
I've been collecting for years and never knew this. I've since removed the few records which I did use PVC Sleeves. Thanx
Thank you for this important video! I immediately checked my copy of "The Wall" and it was affected by the sticker too. I was never aware of the pvc problem. Luckily all my Beatles records are fine because I store them in polythene sleeves. My favorite record store only sells these. I keep all my records in an unheated room protected from sunlight.
This is an extremely helpful video! Luckily, I bought a case of polyethylene sleeves years ago and still only use those. I also sleeve all my albums, by using Mofi rice paper inner sleeves and put the record behind the back of the rear cover and put the polyethylene sleeve over top the mofi sleeve and the record cover. And that’s how I store my albums and it works wonders for me. I urge all collectors to use those mofi sleeve so your fingers never touch the covers!
I believe the Mofi sleeves are HDPE. High density polyethylene. They're really soft and nice.