FOR THE LOVE OF LINEN
Botanical drawings of the flax plant from which linen is harvested and woven.
Koehler's Medicinal-Plants, 1887
Sunday Projects chose to use high quality 100% linen for our designs firstly because we fell in love with how soft and natural the fabric feels against the skin. We love how it keeps us cool in the summer and warm in the winter and only gets softer and softer with each wash. Is there any nicer feeling than slipping into a clean bed of freshly made linen sheets? We are doubtful, but please let us know if you think of one…
Above and beyond the pure pleasure of wearing linen is knowing that it is one of the most gentle fabrics in terms of its impact on the environment. Linen is a natural fabric that is made from the fibres of the flax plant, which uses about 75% less water than cotton to grow. The whole part of the flax plant is used (how efficient!) in constructing the fabric, which means nothing is wasted. When you buy a garment made from 100% linen (like us!) you are wearing fibres that are completely plant based. So much nicer to wear something made from a plant than something made from synthetic fibres, chemicals and strange solvents!
The flax plant is a very efficient plant to grow as it can be grown without the fertilisers and chemicals required for other fabrics, and can be grown on marginal land that may otherwise remain unused. This also means that in the grand scheme of things, ideally the most arable land is freed up from growing textiles and can be used for food crops to feed our growing population.
Linen is happily grown in cooler climates than other fabrics such as cotton, which means extensive irrigation isn’t required and this also avoids the environmental issues of pollution, water consumption and soil sanitation. Because it is natural and plant derived, pure linen is also fully biodegradable.
We thought we would share some of our favourite qualities of linen below:
Natural insulator and temperature regulator - linen absorbs perspiration (up to 20% of its weight without feeling wet), and can happily withstand high temperatures, which explains why it has been the fabric of choice for jungle explorers and holiday goers since the beginning of time.
Strong and durable - Linen is one of the most long-lasting natural fabrics, a quality due to the long cellulose strands of the plant when woven. It is 30% stronger than cotton and with care can last for decades. Egyptians used linen as a currency and even as part of the mummifying process (perhaps not a selling point, but it is quite interesting isn’t it?)
Hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial - Linen great for those of us with sensitive skin, or allergies such as eczema, because it can be grown without harsh chemicals and fertilisers.
* It is important to note that though it isn’t required for the flax plant to grow well, we found some conventional linen is grown with chemical herbicides and fertilisers, so if you are wanting to avoid the impact of these on your skin, and on the planet, its best to buy organic, or at least to find linen that is OEKO-TEX® certified (like us!).
If you are interested in learning how to care for your linen, please have a look at our garment care guidelines here.
Sources & Further Reading:
http://www.tortoiseandladygrey.com/2017/03/06/benefits-linen-beautiful-sustainable-textile/
https://goodonyou.eco/how-sustainable-is-linen/
https://www.canningvale.com/blog/6-amazing-facts-about-linen-/