Sourch for archival 11x14-inch album?

[NAwlins_Contrarian]

I hope this is the most appropriate forum, but I didn't see one that was obviously better; if there is one, a moderate is welcome (requested!) to move it. Anyway:

Can you recommend a good source for an archival photo album, preferably four-ring-binder type, whose pages have a usable area of 11x14 inches or slightly larger, with a portrait (14 inch side vertical) orientation?

For two of my kids I got a Light Impressions Master Edition Album with page size 14 1/2" x 11 7/8". It is perfect--just what I want. The problem is that Light Impressions the company has had some issues, is undergoing some sort of buyout or reorganization, does not have the album in stock, and has no idea whether, much less when, it will in the future--I've tried to order it two or three times over years. I have not been able to find anything that seems truly comparable. There's this PrintFile album; I've liked PrintFile's negative and print preserver pages, but I'm not entirely convinced that this album itself is archival. There's a similar-looking (identical?) Clearfile album; I'm less familiar with Clearfile, and the same concerns apply to it as they do to the PrintFile album.

So, can you recommend anything? My youngest and I will thank you!

[schertz]

I don't know about 4 ring binders, but I've used Itoya books as a "basic" photo book and the pina zangaro books for something more upscale. Both manufactures have 11x14 (portrait) options. They say acid-free/"archival" on the sleeves (whatever archival really means...?)

Mike

[NAwlins_Contrarian]

Thanks Mike, that was very helpful. I looked at both companies' websites. Unsure of what would work best, I've e-mailed Itoya, Pina Zangaro, PrintFile (Clearfile appears to be the same company), and Dick Blick. Hopefully among them I can find a happy answer.

[stinar]

What would you recommend for a couples photo album as I'm trying to make a sweet surprise to my boyfriend? We haven't been getting along too well lately as our relationship is going through these periods of boredom and routine. I really love him, so I wouldn't want to break up with him and I still think he loves me too. This is why I'm looking back through all of our photos together from our trips in Bali and the whole south-east Asia a few years ago. Maybe if I found more ways to remind him of how well we were together during these times he will appreciate me again!

[deanwork]

https://www.talasonline.com/archival-storage


quote author=stinar link=topic=118325.msg1210457#msg1210457 date=1614782536]
What would you recommend for a couples photo album as I'm trying to make a sweet surprise to my boyfriend?
[/quote]

[NAwlins_Contrarian]

What would you recommend for a couples photo album as I'm trying to make a sweet surprise to my boyfriend? We haven't been getting along too well lately as our relationship is going through these periods of boredom and routine. I really love him, so I wouldn't want to break up with him and I still think he loves me too. This is why I'm looking back through all of our photos together from our trips in Bali and the whole south-east Asia a few years ago. Maybe if I found more ways to remind him of how well we were together during these times he will appreciate me again!

FWIW, I ended up getting an Itoya binder for / and 11x14 inch pages. There was no matching slipcover available. My need is 'permanent' photo album for my youngest child, and so for that it's not ideal and hopefully one day will be replaced. The way I use it is to make up 4 to 6 photos with captions onto one 11x14 inch page, get that as one page, and mount it into the album. I do five pages for the first year and three pages for each year after that, up through the latter of eighteenth birthday or high school graduation. So I have to add pages over time.

But for your need, are you trying to mount multiple individual prints on each page, or only one print per page? Do you already have the prints, or will they be made for this project? Have you considered having a photo book printed instead of making an album? Some of the photo book vendors have online layout assistance with templates etc., which I suspect most people would find easier. Quality can be good to very good--not as good as the very best individually-made prints, but in some cases as good as typical prints, and plenty good enough for most purposes.