The buffered standard paper mats are advertised as acid free by every single seller of them to the artist industry. They are buffered paper plain and simple but this is the battle we fight daily. The local college calls regularly for quotes on matboard and they use the term archival but they mean "acid free" standard paper buffered mats. I have had the conversation in depth with them repeatedly but they continue to refer to them as archival. They purchase directly from United which they are fully qualified and entitled to do but again the mats are listed as acid free.
A huge number of online sellers carry the white core acid free boards. The artists assume they must be the same as alpha celluose at a small fraction of the price leading them to believe that framers are skrewing them to reap huge profits. The only thing we can do as framers is truly educate the public at large and I suggest framers really learn the difference in all of the different boards available. My strategy is to educate them untill their heads are ready to explode.
Start by explaining that the so called acis free is standard wood pulp which is simply cleaned of large inclusions which would show up as chunks and specks. Then Calcium Carbonate is added which is nothing more than tossing in a Tums antacid. Just like when you have heartburn a Tums will eventually wear off and another is neaded. Alpha Celluose paper is refined wood pulp and processed to it's purest form to remove the harmful Lignin from the paper pulp. Once it is in it's purest form it is bleached to achieve the white color and then the Calcium Carbonate is added to keep it in a stable state. Alpha Celluose boards are recognized as being truly archival just the same as 100% cotton rag. 100% Cotton Rag board is manufactured from purified cotton and can be found in both buffered and unbuffered. Certain types of emulsion paper used in photographs react to the buffers in the boards so there are times when unbuffered cotton rag must be used or it will harm the photos as much as standard paper baords.
By the time you have educated your customers as to the differences in the various boards they will not remember what you have told them but they will truly understand that there is a huge difference in each type of board. Once they understand that not all things are equal they will know that the price of each is the best way to cut through the advertising hype. The use of brand names such as Crescent/Bainbridge Paper Mat, Bainbridge Alpha Mat, Crescent Select, Artique, Crescent 100% Rag, Bainbridge 100% Rag, Rising 100% Rag, Peterboro 100% Rag, etc., etc., etc. will leave their head spinning. Show your knowledge and expertise to gain their trust. Often times the customer doesn't care what is being used because the artwork has no value other than to decorate a space but they will know that not all "ACID FREE" is created equal. Make them know they get exactly what they pay for when they purchase mats.
