Why Linen?

Linen has long been the fabric of choice for natural, breathable wear, though fewer are aware of quite how eco-friendly it is. Though neglected in the nineteenth century when cotton started to become factory-produced en mass, linen has experienced a glorious revival in recent times as we move away from fast fashion and face forward to curating a thoughtful, considered wardrobe. Now, we’re seeing a wonderful upsurge in people buying for life, rather than for the season. At Nadinoo we love working with OEKO-Tex certified linen, but are often met with the misconception of it being a ‘summer material’, when in fact, it’s an incredibly diverse fabric with the added benefit of being one of the most sustainable fabrics available for handcrafting our small-batch garments.

Flax, the strongest of the plant fibres and the raw material from which linen is made, is estimated to have first been used for making garments over thirty thousand years ago. As one of the oldest continually cultivated plants in the world, the heritage of flax spans countless cultures to be with us today. It presents a multitude of superpowers; it’s naturally moth and odour resistant, can withstand boiling temperatures, and absorbs moisture without holding on to bacteria, meaning it’s both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal (and thus hypoallergenic, so perfect for people with allergies). Linen works so well in harsh climates because it’s thermoregulating by nature, keeping you warm in the winter through insulation, and wicking away perspiration in the warmer months by absorbing up to twenty per cent of its own weight in moisture before it even begins to feel damp. The practical nature of linen is in part borne from its hardwearing fibre, giving it the longevity needed to endure the everyday. From the sails of ancient Egyptian ships and Caravaggio’s canvases, to utility wear passed down through generations, linen’s durability has been championed for millennia.

Most importantly, linen is an incredibly sustainable fabric. During the farming and production process, every single part of the flax plant is used - there is no waste. What isn’t used to produce linen is turned into linseed oil, paper, cattle feed, or even soap, creating a reliable source of income in arid locations where poor soil means it’s not always possible to cultivate crops. Flax, in fact, doesn’t just have a less harmful impact on the environment, but a positive one, as it allows for an ‘environmental pause’ - one hectare of flax can retain 3.7 tonnes of climate-changing CO2. After all the plants have been harvested, the root remnants are left in their fields to return to the earth, fertilising and cleaning the soil to improve its health and yield for the next six to seven years. When it comes to the ecological benefit of flax, the biggest advantage is how little water it consumes in the growing and weaving processes. According to the European Confederation of Linen and Hemp, ‘a linen shirt uses 6.4 litres of water’ throughout its lifecycle, in comparison to 2,700 litres for a single cotton t-shirt. Propagated in Asia and the US, flax’s need for water is minimal, but linen grown in Eastern Europe doesn’t need hardly as much assistance, as the rich soils and frequent rain of Lithuania make it a perfectly suited climate to growing high quality flax, hence our decision to work with small-batch Lithuanian producers who operate mills run on green energy. Sourcing materials from within Europe also helps us keep the journey our designs make from start to finish as low-impact as possible. Un-dyed, linen is 100% biodegradable, and when dyed, requires only a little colour due to its natural absorbency. The GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) ensures our linens are certified organic and haven’t been raised with any harmful pesticides, avoiding the pollution of rivers and groundwater in the land that surrounds it.

Although it’s a very low-maintenance textile that prefers not to be over-washed, knowing how to properly care for your linen can help you to get the most out it. When machine washing, use a gentler setting and wash with similar garments and colours as usual - there’s no need to go too hot, and avoiding high temperatures not only keeps the cloth from shrinking, but reduces your carbon footprint. Feel free to miss out the fabric softener, as you’ll find that rather than break down, linen fibres soften on their own with each wash, becoming more pliable and improving drape and comfort. Curiously, it’s even stronger when wet, which means it sustains less damage than other fabrics whilst being machine washed - you can see this in the lack of fluff and fibres that are often produced in abundance by weaker fabrics. Linen is quick to dry, so if you’re air-drying, simply lay the garment flat over your drying rack, avoiding clothespins so that it can keep its shape - and if you’re tumble-drying, keep it to a low heat. You only need a medium heat with lots of steam for pressing, making sure to iron on the reverse side of the fabric to avoid shine or fading. However, one of the joys of the textile is how well it can evoke that relaxed, carefree quality - you may find that you embrace the wabi-sabi calm of lived-in, softly-crumpled linen.

Practicalities aside, we’re extremely fond of linen’s aesthetic and textural value. The weave and drape of the fabric add visual interest without fussiness or over-decoration - these subtle nuances suggest effortless comfort and ease. We embrace its organic heritage by offering garments in muted, earthy tones to accentuate the simplicity of the natural fibre, hand-sewing it to form clean lines and unobtrusive silhouettes that still have the mettle to accompany you throughout all of the changes and chores that womanhood brings. The texture and weight of the cloth falls comfortably without restriction, and layers well to add tactile depth to an outfit, balancing the heavier or more complex pieces in your wardrobe. Amidst the overstimulation of everyday life, simple fabrics derived from nature can ground us and provide a much-needed sense of peace, engaging our senses and tempting us to fully indulge in seeing our garments as a holistic experience. Natural fibres like linen invite us to touch as well as test, holding up to the wear and tear of daily life whilst remaining elegant as they age and soften with us.

For all of these reasons, we love working with linen. The gradual change we’re observing from mass production to mindful choices about what we wear is steeped in importance, and looking back at the heritage and function of hard-working fabrics allows us to make these decisions in the knowledge that slow fashion can not only be inspired by what looks and feels good, but what can endure and respond accordingly to all chapters of our lives.

Words by Lily Burrows