Linen: A Guide of Natural Textiles

11-minute read
Linen: A Guide of Natural Textiles

Linen is a versatile and sustainable material with a natural texture that provides long-lasting durability and strength. It's not just a fabric, but an attitude and lifestyle choice for those seeking eco-friendly and high-quality home decor options.

 

What is linen?

Linen is a durable and eco-friendly material made from the linen plant's fibers, which are found in the tough tissue of its stems. The fibers are partially loosened through soaking and degumming, which makes the adhesive fiber bundles partially loose. These fibers are then pressed and combed, forming a craft fiber consisting of 10-20 individual fibers.
After harvesting, the fibers are bundled and soaked in water to remove the gum. It's essential to control the water temperature between 28-32°C during soaking, and the fibers are removed after approximately 100 hours. The linen stems are arranged in a parasol shape and dried in the sun.
Rain and dew retting is a natural process in which the harvested linen stems are spread out on a lawn or linen field, and the moisture from the rain and dew is used to ferment and ret the fibers. After 7-10 days under appropriate humidity conditions, the retted dry stems are broken and the wood and impurities are removed. The fibers are then combed and sorted by quality. The broken short linen is called "second coarse linen."

 

The Benefits of Linen Fabric

Linen fabric, made from linen fibers, boasts a variety of properties inherent to the material. These properties include:
  1. Excellent moisture absorption and wicking: Linen fabric can absorb over 20 times its weight in water, making it incredibly comfortable to wear.
  2. Hypoallergenic: Due to its natural extraction process, linen fibers do not irritate the skin and have good hypoallergenic properties.
  3. Anti-static and antibacterial: This quality makes linen fabric resistant to mildew, while its light and breathable texture provides a cooling effect.
  4. UV-resistant: Ideal for promoting skin metabolism and preventing bacterial invasion during the summer, linen fabric offers a natural and hygienic cleanliness.

 

How to Identify High-Quality Linen

When shopping for high-quality pure linen fabric, keep in mind that the price is often a reflection of the quality. Cheap linen cloth is often made from short fibers or other materials, such as semi-linen or cotton-linen blends, which may not have the same desirable qualities. Here are some tips for identifying high-quality linen:
  1. Examine the fabric to ensure the warp and weft lines are evenly fine throughout.
  2. Pull the fabric to check the tightness of the weave.
  3. High-quality natural linen cloth typically has a glossy finish and a uniform, brown color with even water absorption. Poor-quality linen cloth that has been processed to be soft may have uneven water absorption and will turn black when wet.
  4. Look for linen cloth with minimal lint on the surface.
  5. Semi-linen cloth often has different levels of tension in the warp and weft.
  6. Pull a thread, and if the ends are curved or frayed, it's likely made of cotton. Pure linen thread, when broken, has smooth ends.
  7. Try applying a caustic soda solution to the fabric - linen will turn yellow-brown, while cotton will turn light yellow.

 

Incorporating Linen into Your Home

As people increasingly pursue a home that combines high taste with comfort, various linen products have emerged, providing sophisticated individuals with new home decoration ideas. Incorporating linen into your home is a philosophy of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, bringing nature into your home. And a linen sofa is definitely your first refuge after a busy day.
We work with designers to integrate design concepts about linen fabrics, using nature as a template to create an ecological, green, and healthy linen home environment, bringing more surprises to consumers. We select imported linen from Belgium, located at latitude 49°N, from the surface fibers of plants, with water absorption four times that of cotton and strength that ranks top among natural fibers. After de-gumming extraction, it does not contain any chemical materials and effectively prevents skin problems. It is safe to use for sensitive skin and has natural breathability, moisture absorption, freshness, and moisture removal.

Enhancing the Comprehensive Strength of Linen Sofas

Our linen sofas offer unmatched comfort and coziness with their premium-grade feather cotton and eco-friendly sponge filling. With quick rebound properties, they never collapse or lose shape.
Crafted using high-quality imported wood, our sofas feature sturdy Russian imported larch solid wood and eucalyptus frames. These materials ensure durability, resistance to deformation and cracking, and long-lasting use.