Do new cotton goods deteriorate in storage ?

[adam2]

I refer here to the bulk buying and storage of cotton sheets, towels, underwear and the like.
Stored in normal household conditions. For say up to 20 years.

After say 20 years storage will a cotton sheet or t shirt be as good as new, or do such such items deteriorate in storage. I have kept items that long and they seem OK.

OTOH I recently put into use a new old stock sheet purchased from fleabay, and this was not much good. Had lost most of its strength and tore easily.
So had it deteriorated in normal storage ? Or been stored in adverse conditions ? Or rubbish quality when new?

possibly pre-war, so 70/80 years old. Looked unused, in original looking wrapping, seller had good feedback.

[kenneal - lagger]

Could it have been on the top of a stack and exposed to the sun? Or if it is that old, who knows how it had been stored.

[Catweazle]

Cotton canvas is used by painters / artists, I assume they want to use something that doesn't spontaneously deteriorate.

Some years ago my uncle died and we cleared out the loft of his house. He had WW2 gas masks still in their cardboard boxes, the rubber sheet making up the majority was as flexible and crack free as the day it was made, in 1940, and the woven straps were the same. I put it down to being stored in complete darkness - they must have had extremes of temperature up there over the years.

We have lent them out to displays over the years, with strict notices not to try them on because the filter materials can be hazardous.

[adam2]

Could it have been on the top of a stack and exposed to the sun? Or if it is that old, who knows how it had been stored.

Possibly, wrapped in brown paper which looked original, and was priced at 26 shillings, but who knows. Purchased because it was nice and big, made of "Bolton twill*" and because older is often of better quality than cheap modern production.
Looked in good condition and unused. Washed, line dried, and put on my bed. On only the second use, it ripped.

*Bolton twill bed sheets are no longer manufactured AFAIK but used to be popular, they had a reputation for being inexpensive but warm to the touch, strong and durable.