Print Permanence | Our Standard

Analyzing and ensuring the print permanence of every fine art canvas or paper within our product line, prior to their release into the marketplace, is a top priority at Breathing Color.

Using a state-of-the-art Atlas Xenon-Arc Weather-Ometer Ci5000, we undergo intensive accelerated testing for lightfastness and humidity response. Our investment in this highly advanced equipment and methodology goes far beyond the industry standards of manufacturer longevity/print permanence testing and further demonstrates our commitment to excellence at Breathing Color.

In order to backup our own internal findings, at our own expense, we also perform further longevity testing with third party UKAS accredited laboratories. Perhaps the most widely recognized is the Blue Wool Test performed by the Fine Art Trade Guild (FATG). FATG tests each product individually for pH and lightfastness. Breathing Color then obtains a rating and approval from FATG for each approved product.

When one of our products has met the above standards, we issue it an Archival Quality Certificate which our customers are free to download, print, and freely use with their own customers and in their own marketing materials. If you do not see an Archival Quality Certificate, it is either because the product has not yet been approved. For any product, you can download an Archival Quality Certificate on its individual web page. You can also download the available Archival Quality Certificates here:

Archival Quality Certificate - Chromata White Canvas
Archival Quality Certificate - Optica One, Smooth Fine Art Paper
Archival Quality Certificate - Elegance Velvet, Platinum Edition Fine Art Paper