Why linen clothes?
Vojta UhlířIf you have experience with this natural material, then you may have an idea of the benefits this plant brings. You may only remember flax from the evening story about the mole and pants with pockets. Read on to learn more about the great properties of linen clothing and why it is a good idea to have it in your wardrobe.
Do you know flax?
Flax
Flax is a plant that grows up to 80 cm long and is known for its pale blue flowers. The stems of the flower are then processed to produce flax fiber for clothing.
The production of linen for textiles is a multi-step, more complex process. However, the process has remained more or less unchanged over the centuries. Through gradual drying, wetting, removal of wood and combing, the flax raw material is created, which is spun into fibers, from which linen cloth is then created ("woven") in weaving mills.
No chemicals are used in the processing of the raw material and, apart from the water used, the process is mainly mechanical.
💡 Did you know that the oldest piece of woven clothing is a linen shirt ? It is over 5,000 years old and found in Egypt. More here . 👕
Linen history
Flax has been cultivated since ancient times and linen cloth was widely used until the second half of the 20th century, when synthetic fibers and "cheap" cotton came on the scene. Low-cost chemical fibers made from plastic are gaining popularity and the phenomenon of "cheap" textiles from Asia is taking off, unfortunately displacing traditional, more expensive natural materials.
📺 Do you like watching movies? I recommend the film The True Cost on this topic, for example.
Enough history and ecology, maybe another time. Let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of linen and linen clothing.
Properties of linen clothing (and 100% linen shirts)
Advantages
- It is a natural material 🌿
As I wrote above, linen fabric is 100% natural, without artificial fibers. You are simply wearing a piece of nature.
- Linen clothing is breathable
Speaking of wearing and skin, one of the biggest advantages is the breathability of the material. This allows you to regulate your body temperature. Believe me, wearing a linen shirt You will never be hot again. 🥵 . It feels cool in the summer and helps regulate temperature in the winter when temperatures change inside and outside. So you can enjoy the benefits of the material not only in the summer, but all year round.
- Linen absorbs moisture and dries quickly
Linen clothing absorbs moisture very well and dries very quickly. A linen shirt dries on a hanger at room temperature within 1-2 hours. These properties are appreciated in the summer, when you don't sweat as much, you don't have lumps in your armpits and if you do, the shirt itself dries quickly. 🔆
- Linen is hypoallergenic
This means that it does not cause allergies. Linen fabric is a natural material and is therefore very gentle on the skin. Linen is also antiseptic and has a high resistance to mold and fungi. It is therefore suitable not only for adults. So if you suffer from various skin problems, buy 100 % l soft shirt and your skin will thank you 🙏.
- Linen material is durable and "ripens"
Linen fibers are very strong and durable, and textiles made from them last a really long time. It is said that linen ages like wine. With washing, it gradually softens and acquires its characteristic patina.
- Sustainability and ecology of production
Flax is content with soil that is poor in nutrients, does not burden it and very little pesticides and herbicides are used in its cultivation. It also uses significantly less water than the production of polyester artificial fibers or the cultivation of cotton, which is known for its enormous water consumption. Flax, as a natural product, is also 100% recyclable and will completely decompose in nature within a few years. This means that no waste is generated.
Read more about the environmental sustainability of linen clothing in the article here, where I wrote more on the topic.
Disadvantages
Every coin has two sides and nothing in the world is perfect, right? So it's fair to list the disadvantages here. At the same time, I actually only see one. What is it?
- Squishiness
This is an argument that is often heard. Natural fibers and linen fabric suffer from bending and wrinkling. Shirts can be ironed at high temperatures, but it is not for business meetings all day. Linen clothing is more for less formal, authentic occasions. That's right.
💡 Fun fact: As I often say, you don't have to iron your shirts because they'll wrinkle anyway. So suddenly you have less ironing to do. When you accept the creases, they suddenly turn from a disadvantage into an advantage. :)
From flax health,
Vojta 🙋♂️
