Everything You Need To Know About Linen

Everything You Need To Know About Linen

Stephanie Steele Friday, 1 November 2019

Linen comes from a plant that's been grown for over 10,000 years. It was here well before oil was used to create textiles, so it can survive when that resource is long gone. Understanding fibre origins, and how they are produced into fabric, will strengthen your knowledge for sourcing, buying and designing. It's paramount as a responsible business to appreciate what it is you're working with so that you can pass this wisdom on to your customers. 

Given the importance of our land and what's in it, by opting for linen, your business could be sustainable not just for the product or service you're selling. Read and watch on to learn more about this wonder plant, and how valuable it is for our future.


In this video, you'll learn:

  • What linen is 
  • A brief history of linen
  • How linen is grown and processed, both by hand and by machine
  • What 'scutching', 'hackling', 'dressing the distaff' and 'drawing down' mean
  • The pros and cons of growing linen
  • About weaving, finishing, dyeing and washing linen
  • What makes linen so versatile

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