The Benefits of Linen

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Wellington (The Wash House)

Linen is most loved for its diversity, from a rustic and neutral look to soft and refined. It is often found in homes on upholstered and loose covered furniture, curtains, cushions, bedding and clothing. But did you know the benefits of linen run right down to the fibres?

How is Linen made?
Linen is an amazing natural fabric made from flax fibres and this process has been used to make linen for almost 6,000 years.

The plants are first removed from the ground by cutting or pulling and then the seeds are extracted though a process called winnowing or ripping. To separate the fibres from the flax plant itself, a natural process takes place called “retting” that utilizes bacteria to decompose the pectin that binds the fibre together.

Once the long fibres are removed they are brushed out into long strands that can then be spun into yarn and eventually woven into linen material.

The best part about this process is that it’s practically zero-waste. Anything that will not be used in the fabric manufacturing, such as the woody stalks of the flax plant and the roots, compost back into the soil and the seeds used to make linseed oil.

Benefits of Linen
Linen is Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly: Linen is a sustainable, natural fibre growing without the use of pesticides, fertilizers and additional watering. This also makes it a renewable resource, plus being a natural fibre it’s also biodegradable.

Producing linen has a smaller environmental impact than cotton, mainly as it needs little to no water consumption to grow. Also, as mentioned above, the production of linen is rarely wasteful.

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