What does acid and lignin free mean?
Acid is a chemical agent used during the manufacturing of paper that causes paper and photos to deteriorate. This disintegration can be slowed considerably when acid is removed from paper during the manufacturing process. Lignin is the agent that holds wood fibres together in a tree. Newspaper has a high lignin content and you will notice that it becomes brittle and starts to yellow over time. Lignin can also be removed during the manufacturing process to make scrapbooking paper safe.
Acid is used in paper manufacturing to break apart the wood fibers and the lignin that holds them together. If acid remains in the materials used for photo albums, the acid can react chemically with photographs and cause their deterioration. Acid-free products have a pH factor of 7.0 or above. It’s important that all materials (glue, pens, paper, etc.) used in scrapbooks be acid-free. Lignin is the material that holds wood fibers together as a tree grows. If lignin remains in the final paper (as with newsprint), it will become yellow and brittle over time. Most paper other than newsprint is lignin-free.
