Why I want to use Linen?

I really like Linen. I think it is long lasting, unisex sex and promotes a sustainable life style. It is a good in between fabric as sometimes you can not source organic fabrics especially a small business starting out. These are some reasons why I should use linen..

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is valued for its exceptional qualities.

Linen fabrics have been serving humans since approximately ten thousand years ago. It were ancient Egyptians who first started to use linen for clothes and bedding. We know that from rock carvings. Local riches were clad in thin linen fabrics; linen fabrics were used for wrapping of pharaoh mummies. Linen clothes were used as a symbol of “purity and light”. They were considered to be pure and at the same time serve as a guardian for the body of the person who was wearing it.

Peasants used home-made linen clothes.

In ancient Greece linen clothes were a privilege of priests.

 
At later times linen was grown and processed in other, northern, countries.

There it was called  “north gold” and “north silk”. It was used for clothes, table and bed linens, military equipment, canvas for oil pictures.

In previous centuries linen was considered to be a “healthy fabric”.

Despite all those thousands or years behind its back, linen, the most ancient fabric, remains forever young.

Linen popularity is not diminishing, it is growing with each year.

The secret of its popularity lies in the unique and highly valuable qualities of linen fabric.

- It is considered to be able to regulate body temperature by regulating skin-air heat exchange.

Linen absorbs moister well and at the same time releases it quickly, dries out, so linen fabric doesn’t "stick" to the body. Air can pass through linen fabric easily, so the skin is "breathing".

- Linen creates a feeling of freshness in hot weather and comfort warmth in winter. It is due to high thermo insulation qualities of the linen. When the weather is hot, the temperature between the body and linen is 3-4 degree below the air. When it is cold, the linen fabric carefully saves the body’s heat.

- Linen possesses high air permeability and heat conductivity properties. Heat conductivity of linen is five times as high as that of wool and 19 times as that of silk. In hot weather those dressed in linen clothes are found to show the skin temperature 3°-4°C below that of their silk or cotton-wearing friends. According to some studies, a person wearing linen clothes perspires 1.5 times less than when dressed in cotton clothes and twice less than when dressed in viscose clothes. Meanwhile in cold weather linen is an ideal warmth-keeper;

- It  doesn’t cause allergic reactions.

- Linen fabric don’t create static (in fact, even having small amount of linen in the fabric, up to 10%, removes possibility of static on the fabric).

- Linen fabric possesses rare bacteriological properties. Linen fabric is a natural antiseptic, it kills bacteria, so neither bacteria nor fungus can live on it. It also reduces inflammation. These qualities were noted by people long time ago when it was noted that wounds under linen dressing healed faster than under the cotton ones. Wearing linen clothes helps to get rid of some skin diseases - from common rash to chronic eczema.

- Linen reduces gamma radiation nearly by half and protects the human body from solar radiation. Flax fiber from contaminated soils appears not to exhibit even traces of radiation.

- Linen rejects dirt and does not get teaseled.

- Linen and linen-containing articles are easily laundered in hot water, can be boiled and dried in the sun. Hot water kills bacteria and dust mites. Besides they can be hot-ironed thereby ensuring maximum sterilization.

- The more linen is washed the softer and smoother it becomes.

- Linen is renowned for its spectacular durability and long life. The tensile strength of linen thread is twice as high as that of cotton which means that linen can withstand more washing cycles and serve for much longer time than cotton bedding.

- Linen underscores naturalness, softness and relief; creasing is yet another precious property possessed by linen.

- Linen has rich texture and feels pleasant to the touch (we love sewing linen fabric!).

So, to sum it up: linen bedding provides exceptional sleeping environment, is healthy, eco-friendly, easily washed, beautiful and long-lasting .

All these unique features of linen fabrics were always highly valued by people, and now, overwhelmed with and overexposed to synthetics, we are coming back to this natural fabric.

Linen clothes and linen bedding have become fashionable again and make their way back to our life.

Nothing can compare with pleasant to touch, textured, cool and fresh linen sheets in summer or in winter. Linen bedding just help relax and have a tight, refreshing, healthy sleep.

Linen fabric cost is relatively high now, so it has become elite material and is used mostly by mid- and high-class people. (info@linenlinens.com, 2009)

info@linenlinens.com. (2009, Sept 1). Linen Linens. Retrieved May 31, 2012, from Linen Linens : http://www.linenlinens.com/why_linen.html