What is linen fabric made from?
Linen is one of those fabrics that is timeless. It has been used for centuries because of its amazing properties making it a valued commodity all around the world. Linen cloth has been used for thousands of years, dating back to 8000 BC.
Linen is made from flax fibers, giving it strength and durability as well as texture, breathability, and a beautiful drape. It dries quicker than cotton and looks and feels fabulous against your skin, making it an excellent choice for your bed linen.
It takes time to turn the fibers into the fabric we know, but well worth it and is used in many types of home linens.
Linen comes in a variety of weights and thread counts which all have their own special allure and uses. In the past, the tighter thread count was used in clothing and bedsheets. But now we have open-weave fabrics for both these uses which adds to today’s style and elegance.
I personally like my duvet cover to have a flange around the edge which gives it a more elegant finish, and that’s why we have designed ours with that feature. For my bed, I have chosen, and totally in love with French Linen Sheets, duvet cover and pillowcases.
So What Do We Value Regarding Linen?
For a start, linen is all-natural, and so, biodegradable and like most (not all) natural fabrics it is breathable making it comfortable to wear. Like most fabrics there are different qualities and the ‘rule of thumb’ is the length of the fiber used in the manufacturing. The longer and stronger the fiber the higher the quality.
Linen is also manufactured in different countries. French Linen and Belgium Linen are renowned for quality.
Watch video and see the process of flax growing and linen making. <iframe width=”1120″ height=”630″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ZrZZefkohE” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>
I remember seeing old movies set in Africa with people dressed in their linen suits. They did this because, while giving them protection from the elements covering most of their body, they also kept as cool as possible in those conditions. And then when it came time to launder, their linen suits would dry quickly. Yes, linen does dry quicker than cotton and of course wool garments. So for them, this fabric made a significant difference in their health, and I should imagine their sanity in those hot conditions.