Are the Gelly Roll Shadow pens safe for archival use?
Whether or not the Gelly Roll Shadow is acid-free or not is not the issue. We could tell you “Yes, they are acid-free,” but then we would also say that we do not recommend using Gelly Roll Shadow pens when the user wants to make an archival mark. Why? Because Gelly Roll Shadow is only partially waterproof. The colors of Shadow are derived from what we call dyestuff ink. The metallic portion of the Shadow ink is resistant to water, but the colored inks use simple dyes (which are not waterproof). Dyes are also not fade-resistant, so there is a possibility (through time) that the colors will fade away. However, we are told that there are still many users who simply do not care about the long-term permanence of Gelly Roll Shadow. They use the pens in their scrapbooks because they like the colors and effects they provide. To these individuals we say, “Have Fun!”.
