With its breezy elegance and timeless appeal, Linen has been gracing closets for centuries, making it the ultimate fashion chameleon. But what is linen fabric, exactly, and is linen sustainable?
In a world where fast fashion trends come and go faster than you can say “wardrobe malfunction,” one fabric has managed to stand the test of time. Linen is one of the oldest natural fibers around—it goes back thousands of years, from the mummies in Ancient Egypt to baby Jesus.
But as the world becomes increasingly conscious of the environmental footprint of its clothing choices, we want to know whether this easy-to-wear fabric is also easy on the planet.
Let’s unravel the threads of linen sustainability and discover if it’s the real deal or just another fashion fib.
Contents: Is Linen Eco-Friendly?
- What Is Linen Fabric? Jump to section
- How Is Linen Made? Jump to section
- Is Linen Environmentally Friendly? Jump to section
- Is Linen Made Ethically? Jump to section
- What Are the Properties Of Linen Material? Jump to section
- How To Care For Linen Fabric Jump to section
- Linen Vs. Other Natural Fibers Jump to section
- Brands Using Linen Fabric Jump to section
What Is Linen Fabric?
Like other bast fibers (those made from the stem of a plant), linen is made from fibers of the beautiful, blue-flowered flax plant. The word “linen” is derived from the plant’s Latin name: linum usitatissimum.
For thousands of years (36,000, to be exact, according to anthropological evidence), flax has been used to make fiber, and it has been grown in nearly every country around the world. As such, it bears a lot of cultural and spiritual significance, with mentions in the Bible and other religious texts.
In Ancient Egypt, linen was valued so much that it was used as currency. It also symbolized light, purity, and wealth, hence it was the fabric of choice in mummification, at a thread count much finer than we would find today. Ancient Romans and Greeks used linen as a valuable commodity, and in Mesopotamia, linen was something owned only by those in higher classes. In Medieval Europe, linen was no longer synonymous with luxury, since the poor (which is to say basically everybody bar royalty) used it for everything, from clothing to fishing nets.
But what is flax linen used for today?
Though its prevalence has been diluted, linen is still used to make clothing and home textiles, like curtains and sustainable bedding. It’s even blended with cotton to make the US dollar bill.
But we’re not here to talk about “greenbacks”; we’re here to talk about the green on our backs. In other words, how sustainable is linen?
To answer that, we need to start by digging deep into the roots of how linen is made.
How Is Linen Made?
Linen production starts with the flax plant, a highly sustainable and hardy annual plant that thrives in cooler climates. Flax plants grow relatively quickly and are known for their minimal need for pesticides and fertilizers, which contributes significantly to linen fabric sustainability.
1. Harvesting
Flax is ready for harvesting when the lower leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. Yielding the longest possible fibers is very important when it comes to linen. For this reason, hand-harvesting is commonly used to pull up the entire plant, a process called “uprooting.”
2. Retting
Retting involves exposing the flax stalks to moisture and humidity which helps break down the pectin that binds the flax fiber to the plant’s woody core. Traditionally, this step has been accomplished by soaking raw flax stalks or exposing them to moisture in the field. Nowadays, manufacturers may use chemicals, yielding a less sustainable linen fabric.
3. Winnowing & Scutching
Like grain, flax seeds must be removed, a process called winnowing. After, the woody stalks are crushed between metal rollers. This “scutching” separates them into longer and shorter portions. The flax fibers are then further combed to remove any remaining impurities.
4. Spinning
The extracted flax fibers are then spun into yarn or thread. This can be done using traditional spinning wheels or modern machinery. The resulting thread can vary in thickness depending on its intended use.
5. Weaving & Finishing
Once the flax fiber has been extracted and separated, the longest pieces are spun into sustainable yarn and then woven on looms into fabric. If this sounds like a painstaking and laborious process, it is. While mechanization is used in most cases, some linen yarn preparation is still done by hand in the centuries-old traditional manner.
Is Linen Environmentally Friendly?
Why Is Linen Sustainable?
Let’s look first at the planetary pros of the flax plant itself:
- The time from planting seeds to harvesting is about 100 days. This is one example of how linen differs from cotton, which takes 150 to 180 days.
- Flax grows well in cool, humid climates and does best in soil that’s moist and well-plowed, like those of Europe. It’s thought that Belgian flax is the finest quality flax in the world, but it is also grown in Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the British Isles.
- Flax does well with little water (just rainwater and a little humidity). Only 6.4 liters of water are needed to produce a linen shirt—compared to 2,700 liters for a conventional cotton shirt.
- Flax needs few pesticides or fertilizers.
- The entire flax plant can be used, including the removed seeds, so nothing needs to go to waste.
- One ton of flax cultivation sequesters roughly 1,158 kg of CO2-equivalents.
Post linen production, the yielded fabric has two big benefits:
- Durability: Linen is a very durable fabric that lasts longer than other clothing and textiles.
- Biodegradability: When linen does reach the end of its life, it doesn’t need to rot in a landfill. As a natural fiber, linen it’s fully compostable (provided toxic chemicals, dye, or synthetic fibers haven’t been added).
We don’t want to get (f)lax on painting the whole picture here, so let’s also look at some of linen’s disadvantages from a sustainable fabric standpoint.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Linen?
While the crop is considered to be good for ecosystems and the environment as a whole, improper harvesting techniques may cause soil erosion.
The processing of flax fibers into linen fabric can also be resource-intensive, particularly regarding water and energy consumption. Traditional methods are much more sustainable, but they’re less efficient and thus less frequently used.
As mentioned above, the retting process can either be done naturally via dew retting (in which linen stalks are simply cut and left outside so that natural moisture softens the fibers), or with chemicals like alkali or oxalic acid.
Is Linen Organic?
According to Common Objective’s Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibers, organically-grown linen is one of the most sustainable fabrics in the world, earning an “A” (the best rating). Non-organic linen gets a “C.”
As with cotton, the merits of the plant itself matters far less than how it’s grown. While pesticides and fertilizers aren’t necessary, excess nitrites (fertilizer) have been associated with flax cultivation and water pollution. Flax also doesn’t do well when competing with weeds, so in some cases, herbicides are used.
Unfortunately, certified organic linen makes up a paltry percentage of total linen use. While brands like Eileen Fisher and Coyuchi claim to source exclusively organic linen in the coming years, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure this sustainable fiber is really sustainable.
So is linen a sustainable fabric?
It certainly can be, but its overall sustainability depends on individual processing methods.
Is Linen Made Ethically?
We know it can be sustainable, but is linen ethical?
Picking flax by hand for hours on end is hugely labor-intensive—and if the work is not supported with fair trade compliant and safe labor conditions, it can spell human rights abuse.
The processing of flax fibers presents some concerns, too, especially when chemicals are used.
To up your #SustainableFashion game, look for brands that choose GOTS-certified organic linen. Being a seed-to-shelf organic assurance, this lets you know water-only or dew retting was used instead of chemical retting. It also extends to the chemical-free nature of the bleaching and dying process, telling you workers weren’t exposed to chemicals at any stage of the supply chain.
Next look for brands that use fair trade labor practices, ideally backed by manufacturing certifications and transparency about wages and worker protections.
What Are the Properties Of Linen Material?
One of linen’s biggest boons is its versatility. Linen is naturally breathable, moisture-wicking, antibacterial, resistant to allergens, and temperature regulating. All told, this makes it a desirable choice for clothing, bed sheets, bandages, and much more.
It also has the ability to hold dye colors better than some other fabrics, which means less dyestuff is needed. For the most eco-friendly linen, look for fabric that has been colored with sustainable dyes.
What Are The 3 Types Of Linen?
Generally, the softness of linen falls somewhere between hemp and organic cotton, but there’s a lot of variety in the texture of linen. Depending on the thread count, linen can either be coarse (and more affordable) or luxouriosuly fine (with the corresponding price tag).
There are three main types:
- Plain Linen: This is the most common and basic type of linen fabric. It’s made from the flax plant’s fibers and is known for its natural, slightly textured appearance.
- Damask Linen: Damask linen is a luxurious linen fabric known for its intricate patterns and smooth, glossy finish.
- Toweling Linen: As the name suggests, toweling linen is specifically designed for towels and similar absorbent products. It has a dense weave that enhances its absorbency, making it ideal for bath towels, dish towels, and cleaning cloths.
Linen Fabric Advantages
- While most people wouldn’t agree that it’s soft to the touch initially, linen gets much softer over time. This aids in linen’s durability, too.
- Linen is resistant to sunlight, so it won’t break down after long-term sun exposure (making it good for sustainable curtains) and protects wearers from harmful UV rays.
- Linen is strong, durable, and does not pill.
- Since the Middle Ages, linen has been used as a soothing fabric thanks to its hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties.
- Linen is thermo-regulating (i.e. keeping us cool in summer and warm in winter).
- It’s unique! Linen has a natural luster and its irregular fiber bundles give it a texture that is uncommon in other fibers.
Linen Fabric Disadvantages
- It isn’t as common as cotton, and certainly isn’t as common as synthetics. Combined with its more intensive manufacturing process, be prepared to pay a little more for linen sheets, clothing, etc.
- Linen takes the cake for being the most notoriously wrinkly fabric. If you love the feel of linen clothing (but want to look freshly pressed), be prepared to do some ironing. However, don’t expect it to last too long; as the fiber gets softer, it wrinkles less.
- Like cotton, linen yarn is known for shrinking—especially when washed in warm or hot water—which makes properly caring for your linen materials all the more important.
How To Care For Linen Fabric
Linen is a durable fabric by nature, which means it’s pretty easy to care for, but there are some things to keep in mind that will help keep your favorite linen wedding guest dress partying for summer after summer.
First, to prevent shrinkage, wash linen in cold water using a natural laundry detergent.
Do not tumble dry (or if you do, only dry on low part-way). Then, hang or lay flat to dry.
If you’re worried about those pesky wrinkles, rest assured knowing you can iron linen to your heart’s content. Linen can handle high heat and may also need a bit of spray starch for that crisp, clean look.
Be careful how you fold it. If a crease constantly forms in the same area, it can lead to tearing. It’s better to hang linen garb in your wardrobe.
Linen Vs. Other Natural Fibers
In our quest for more sustainable fashion, we’ve looked at lots of sustainable fabrics— lyocell, cactus leather, fish leather, bamboo fabric, modal fabric, and more—so how does linen compare to some of these?
Linen Vs Cotton Sustainability & Performance
Is linen more sustainable than cotton?
Yes! For starters, linen fibers are stronger and more durable than cotton.
It also dries much faster than cotton—perfect for those who can’t stand the smell of mildew-y bath towels (hopefully everyone).
For clothing, its water-wicking abilities mean that it will draw in liquid (sweat or water) before drying quickly. Cotton, on the other hand, absorbs moisture rather than wicks, which can lead to chafing and a soggy bottom during high-output activities.
While cotton and linen are both hypoallergenic, linen tends to be a better choice for people with allergies.
In terms of sustainability, even the worst linen manufacturing far surpasses conventional cotton—AKA the dirtiest crop in the world. This is because linen requires significantly fewer inputs (water, land, and chemicals).
While organic cotton cuts out chemicals and uses less land, it still uses more water than linen cultivation.
There’s one big drawback to linen compared to cotton fabric. While they’re both natural fabrics derived from plants, flax takes longer to harvest, and it’s more difficult to weave the fibers into fabric.
Also, while linen is more durable than cotton, the latter is more flexible and provides some additional stretch. For anyone who’s worn both, it’ll come as no surprise that cotton is softer—which is due to the fact that flax fibers are rougher and woven less tightly.
Hemp Vs Linen Sustainability & Performance
As far as natural fibers are concerned, linen is more comparable to hemp fabric than cotton, since both are lightweight, temperature regulating, UV resistant, and durable. They also both come from low water-intensive, woody plant stalks.
The most significant difference is that hemp fibers are even longer than flax ones, 15 feet compared to 3 feet. That means hemp clothing is even more durable than linen but consequently coarser to the touch.
Hemp is also more carbon-hungry and generally more sustainable to harvest because the stalks are cut rather than completely uprooted. This both prevents erosion and ensures healthier soil that retains more moisture.
Brands Using Linen Fabric
Sustainable and organic clothing brands are increasingly turning to linen fabric as a key ingredient in their eco-conscious collections.
In fact, we’re starting to see far more linen clothing brands using the material almost exclusively. Here are some of our favorites:
- Coyuchi: Coyuchi is known for using some of the best Earth-friendly materials—including GOTS-certified organic linen for their range of affordable linen sheets and bedding.
- MagicLinen: MagicLinen has been sharing the magic of linen with thousands of worldwide customers. They use OEKO-TEX-certified European flax, a super localized supply chain, and transparent linen production processes to craft their curtains, bedding, clothing, and more.
- Linenfox: Their 100% Lithuanian-crafted linen garments include elegant closet staples that are fully made-to-order.
- Neu Nomads: Between a solar-powered dye house, family-owned fair trade factories, and organic linen cultivation, this brand ensures they offer seed-to-shelf sustainable linen fabrics.
- Wild Linens: In addition to pre-made products like pillowcases and bow-ties, they offer sustainably made linen fabrics, which is especially useful for those looking to dabble in making their own linen goods.
Thanks a lot for this very well-written and informative article! I used to know Linen only as an old-style material, but love to see the great new things coming into fashion right now. Thanks for all the background-info 🙂