Linen

Anti-MicrobialBreathableCompostableFlexibleHypoallergenicLightweightLinenStrongTextiles

WHAT WE SAY:

Linen is our oldest fibre source: evidence of wild linen use dates back 34,000 years, while we started cultivating it 10,000 years ago. To this day, we still refer to soft fabrics – like towels and bedding – as linens, no matter what material they're made from.

Despite its enduring reputation, the production of linen has dropped considerably due to the rise of cotton and synthetics. It's time for this durable, long-lasting, and beautiful fibre to make a comeback.

Linen cloth / Source: Shutterstock

WHAT IS LINEN?

Linen is a bast fibre that comes from the flax plant. Known in Latin as 'Linum', flax is grown for two reasons: the seeds and the fibre. Linen can refer to either the fibre of the plant, or the thread or textiles produced.
Linen is antibacterial and hypoallergenic, has good moisture-wicking ability, holds dye well, and is known for its 'coolness' – that is, linen's hollow fibres make it feel cool and lightweight in warm weather.
It is two to three times stronger than Cotton, but it doesn't have the same elasticity and is therefore much stiffer. Some believe that linen needs a 'breaking in' period of wearing and washing before the softness of the fabric is revealed.
The fibre has many textile applications, but it’s most often used in fashion and household furnishings, bedding, towels, tablecloths, rugs, mats, upholstery, tapestries, and curtains. It's even found in money – US currency is made from 75% cotton and 25% linen.
Various types of linen are suited to different applications. Sheeting linen, which is soft and closely woven with a high thread count, is used for fashion and bedding; damask linen is more delicate, woven using plain and satin weaves, and often used for clothes and home textiles; loosely-woven linen is highly absorbent, making it ideal for cosmetic and personal care products; and plain-woven linen is textured and durable, often used for towelling, curtains, and blinds.
To produce all kinds of linen, flax is farmed. The flax grown for linen is taller and has fewer offshoots than flax grown for seed.
Linen plants are pulled from the ground during harvest rather than cut, ensuring fibre length. This is followed by dew retting, which involves simply laying the plant on the ground and allowing dew, air, sun, and fungi to 'dissolve' the unwanted parts of the flax. (Tank retting used to be common, but its high water usage and unpleasant smell has resulted in dew retting becoming the norm). After retting, the fibres are extracted from the stalks and left to sit inside for another few months to soften further. Cleaning, twisting, and spinning follow.
The entire process of turning flax into good quality linen is labour intensive and requires many hands, which is what drives its high cost compared to other fibres.
70% of all flax linen grown is used for clothing. There are about 12 million acres of flax grown annually, resulting in one million tonnes of fibre in 2020. Despite the high figures, linen accounts for just 1% of global fibre production.
While synthetic fabrics like polyester can take 500 years or more to break down, linen starts to decompose in only a few weeks, meaning less pollution and less waste.
Like any natural fibre, linen is biodegradable. But there are caveats – blends, dyes, sewing thread, and coatings all affect linen's natural end-of-life. The factories you source your textile sheets from, and the treatments the fabrics go through, make a huge difference.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Anti-Microbial
Breathable
Compostable
Flexible
Hypoallergenic
Lightweight
Strong

INDUSTRY:

Textiles

AVAILABILITY:

Mass Market

DIVE DEEPER:

Flax is an annual plant that grows in temperate climates. It's well-adapted to many parts of the world, but France is the largest grower of linen, with Belgium, Belarus, China, and Russia also growing large quantities. In the US, specifically Minnesota and North Dakota, flax is grown for seed.
Flax can only be grown for a few seasons, as it needs rotation to avoid soil erosion and nutrient depletion. However, it requires minimal water and little fertiliser for growing, and doesn't need pesticides or other chemical sprays. If the entire population of France bought a linen shirt instead of cotton, the water saved would be equivalent to Paris' drinking water for one year.
Most flax, no matter where it's grown, is shipped to China for spinning and weaving.
While flax only accounts for 1% of global fibre production, it's a popular choice for sustainable fashion brands. Black Ficus, located in Kiev, Ukraine, makes 100% linen clothes, from robes and shirts to trousers and underwear.
Mate from Los Angeles produces organic linen clothes dyed and sewn in the region, emphasising that it uses "no pesticides, no microplastics, no formaldehyde, no carcinogens, no endocrine disruptors". Mara Hoffman creates pieces from blends and 100% linen, ensuring the fabric hasn't been coated with anything that can't decompose. Rawganique makes a number of pure linen pieces in its ateliers across Europe and the US.
A recent innovation is the use of linen thread in the new plant-based Degenerate sneaker from UNLESS Collective and NFW, designed to return harmlessly to the Earth at end of use. The thread is used to attach the upper to the sole.
Going beyond the textiles industry, linen is quickly emerging as a key material for the homeware space, as an upholstery material, in producing paper, and even in making carpet.

KEY FACTS:

70%

of all flax linen grown is used for clothing

1mn tns

Global linen fibre production reached 1 million tonnes in 2020

25%

US currency is made from 75% cotton and 25% linen

Key Questions to Ask:

Do you need elasticity?

Linen is not elastic, so to provide the comfort and movement consumers are used to, ease and fit will be essential areas of focus.

Can you set expectations?

Linen is often considered stiff and easily creased. While this is true in the first instance, linen softens and wears better over time. Consider how you can communicate this within your product descriptions and marketing to move customers past their initial doubts.

Is affordability a concern for your audience?

Linen is not cheap and will likely be best received by an audience willing to invest in fewer, higher quality pieces that will last. Surely the only route we collectively have to a sustainable fashion future.

How do you foresee the end-of-life cycle for your products?

Part of linen's superiority to synthetics is its natural, biodegradable character. Think carefully about any finishes and blends to ensure you don't undermine end-of-life options, and consider setting clear guidelines for disposal, particularly for shorter-life cosmetic or personal care applications.