Linen is good because it looks trendy and
at the same time it’s very comfortable.
— Akshay Kumer
The long history of the uses of linen encompasses shrouds and mummification wrappings, clothing, medieval body armor, canvasses, rigging and netting for ships, a preferred fabric for oil painting, bed, bath and kitchen necessities, wall coverings and upholstery, currency in ancient Egypt and today our currency is printed on a linen-cotton blend (25% and 75% respectively).
Though it is a time consuming and exacting process to produce linen, countries and economies around the world have found the demand worth the effort. The flax must be hand harvested to avoid breaking the long staple fibers which make linen so durable, strong and protective. The long hollow fibers and loose weave make linen light and cool to the touch and on the body. It does not pill, is hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antiseptic, antistatic, PH neutral and easy to dye.
Historical uses of linen contribute to contemporary clothing terms. We now think of silk or soft cotton as sensuous underwear but “lingerie” was first made of linen. When thickly layered, its stiffness and strength found use as protective military clothing. Later, these same qualities would be used as an inner “lining” to give and preserve the shape of garments.
Linen tends to wrinkle easily when first worn — a perceived negative to some and part of its natural charm to others — but with repeated wearing and laundering it softens and drapes. Over 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians developed a process called Pleated Linen (Boston’s Fine Art Museum has four extant and intact examples in their collection). Exactly how it was accomplished is not known, but once pleated the process prevented further wrinkling. In the 1950’s Irish designer, Sybil Connolly, developed a method of hand pleating fine handkerchief linen. In a testament to the elegance and drape of pleated linen, Jacqueline Kennedy wore a dress by Sybil Connolly for her 1970 White House portrait.
Fine linen can represent a costly initial investment but its non-pilling, durability, resistance to tearing, mold, mildew and odors make it a worthwhile long term acquisition.
To realize the best longevity, wash linen separately at a moderate temperature with a neutral detergent. Avoid bleach totally and any product touting fluorescent or optical whiteners! Also, avoid fabric softeners as linen softens on its own with washing. It is best to hang dry but it can be put into a low temperature drying cycle — remove when damp dry. If ironing, do so on the reverse side. Do not dry in the sun except for white linen.
The Egyptians called linen “woven moonlight,”and as Billie Holiday sang “Oh, what a little moonlight can do.” Consider what linen can do for your Purely Personal style.
