10 Fun Facts About Linen

Linen is a must-have Summer fabric! It’s cool, it breathes and it’s a beautiful, sustainable textile made from the flax plant. So what else should you know about linen? Let’s dive into 10 fun facts about the amazing textile that is linen. —Jen Pistor

1. Linen is a strong and absorbent fabric that dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather.
2. Linen will get softer with wash and wear. The more you wear it, the softer and more luxurious it gets.
3. Due to the strength of the fabric, it doesn’t pill over time like most other fabrics.
4. Linen can help protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.
5. Linen will evaporate water, including sweat.
6. It is antibacterial and fungicidal. This means the moths and other insects will not chew through it during those winter months when it’s packed away. It also means it neutralizes bad odours.
7. It’s a fabric that is, most often, machine washable and hang to dry. An absolute low-maintenance fabric.
8. Linen is thought to be one of the oldest fabrics on earth, almost as old as clothing itself. There have even been fragments of linen discovered in Swiss dwellings from around 8000 BC.
9. The flax plant, that linen is made from, is easy to grow and requires very little water. Nothing is wasted from the flax production and it’s cost-effective to grow. Because it’s a natural fibre, linen is recyclable and biodegradable.
10. Linen has anti-static characteristics, which means linen is more resistant to stains and dust.