Linen is heavily represented in my spring summer wardrobe. Even before I started shopping more sustainably, I’ve always chosen linen for its durable properties and luxurious vibes. It’s also lightweight and perfect to pack in a tiny suitcase. However, not all linen is created equal as you’ll see in this article.
To help you shop with the most accurate information in mind, I’ve summed up the pros and cons of this fabric in terms of sustainability, certifications to look for and current developments around flax production that have an impact on its credentials.
All my sources are listed at the bottom. Most of them are publicly available albeit not always in English. If you have unanswered questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below the article.
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Key facts about linen and why it is considered sustainable
What is linen made of and where does it come from?
- Linen is a bast fibre (like hemp, jute and ramie). It is produced from the woody stems of the flax plant rather than the seeds as in cotton.
- Linen doesn’t require irrigation (water). It can grow with minimal or no use of fertilisers, which is why it’s considered sustainable.
- Like hemp, linen can be grown in any temperate climate around the world. China is the largest producer of flax in the world, followed by the E.U where 70 % of the world’s premium long-fibre flax is grown.
- Linen is a biodegradable fabric. Pure, undyed and unfinished linen can even be composted.
- Linen is considered a more rare, high quality product and represents less than 1% of all textile fibres consumed worldwide.
Why is linen more sustainable than other fabrics?
Linen is more sustainable than cotton and viscose. The extraction process of the fibre from the stems is called retting. It’s a controlled ‘rotting’ process to remove the gummy (pectinous) substances, which glue the bast fibres together. Sustainability depends on the process chosen.
- Dew (or field) retting is the method used in western Europe for obtaining high quality fibres for textiles and most of the world’s linen is produced by field retting. It’s reported to be the oldest method of retting flax, practiced thousands of years ago by the Egyptians. It is carried out by pulling flax stems and laying them in even layers of rows for the moisture to encourage indigenous fungi to colonise and grow on the stem. It’s a slow process that takes a few weeks.
- Water retting is the fastest way to process linen (only a few days) but it’s more expensive and linked to environmental pollution so less sustainable. The stalks are left to soak in tanks, ponds of water or in a running river. Although this method gives a more uniform quality product, it’s less commonly used by the industry.
Other retting techniques include enzyme rotting, which is still undergoing research and development for improving fibre quality. And chemical retting, which is similar to water retting, meaning quick, but requires a lot of close control to avoid damage.
Video: Artist Naco Paris and movie director Benoit Millot collaboration for Fashion Revolution Week 2021. A physical installation in Normandy (France) featuring lines of more than 500 meters of linen sheets blowing in the wind. Source: I Love Linen
Which linen is the best?
Depending on how it was washed, scoured, processed, softened, dyed and treated at the factory, linen can be coated with toxic chemicals. Look out for the Oeko-Tex 100 certification that guarantees the absence of harmful substances in textile.
- Colours: The natural colour of linen is anywhere between off-white and light brown. However, most linen yarns and fabrics are bleached to achieve that pure white shade. Colours are obtained using dyes. Dying can be done using natural ingredients, plants or even sunshine but it’s commonly done chemically with varying degrees of sustainability and respect for the environment.
- Creases: Designers have a wide range of linen fabrics to choose from, each with different creasing behaviours: classic plain weave, patterned weaves (such as a twill), knitted linen, stretch linen… If the brand says ‘wrinkle-free’ or ‘wrinkle resistant’ it means their linen products have been treated with formaldehyde, a sensitising agent that can cause an immune system response. If the linen is marked as ‘stain resistant’ it’s been coated with a chemical called Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or C8, which can be carcinogenic.
Masters of Linen: a trade mark for linen made in Europe
Masters of Linen gathers and promotes certified European textile companies (spinners, weavers and knitters rather than brands or designers) who have opted for 100% European traceability. It guarantees the sustainability of the linen production down the supply chain meaning no irrigation, no GMO, no waste, carbon sink, field retting, mechanical scutching to yarn, fabric and finishing according to highest regulations and biodegradable as well as good social practices. As a consumer, you can ask directly to brands if their linen suppliers have this certification.
Regular versus organic linen fabric
Flax is cultivated annually and has positive effects on eco-systems and diversity. It offers a welcome environmental pause for soil quality, bio-diversity and landscapes. Although the flax plant doesn’t require much chemicals, farmers will add some fertilisers to speed up the growing process. A lot less than to grow cotton but still. Regular linen is also usually grown as a monoculture, which is the practice of growing the same crop on the same field year after year after year.
Organic linen, on the contrary, is grown without any use of chemical inputs and farmed using crop rotation, which encourages biodiversity. It’s a lot more rare and the price is quite high as a consequence. As a shopper, if you can afford it, go for it. You should see the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) logo next to the organic linen products.
Linen made in China
Today, 90% of linen fibres either regular or organically grown in Europe (France is a leader) are sent to be spun and processed in China. China has some of the best facilities in the world to produce clothes. However, French linen producers are currently working to bring back the full organic linen supply chain back in the Normandy region where flax in grown.
How to care for linen clothes
The properties of linen make it the ideal material for sun wear and summer clothes in general, especially workwear. It absorbs water and keeps the body cool. It’s also lightweight, breathable yet opaque and feels luxurious.
Linen is extremely durable and, depending on the type of garment, machine washable at 30°C. You don’t need to wash it often though and it’s always better to air dry your clothes. You don’t need to iron linen. A quick steam or spritz of water is enough to smooth the fabric.
I personally love 100% linen tailored pieces such as double-breasted blazers, high-waisted trousers, jumpsuits and oversized shirts.
Sources:
- Linen Most Useful: Perspectives on Structure, Chemistry, and Enzymes for Retting Flax, Danny E. Akin, Link to the full article
- Book: Eco Chic, The Fashion Paradox, Sandy Black, Black Dog Publishing
- Linen: New Looks for an Ancient Fiber by Debra Cobb for Sourcing Journal (trade press). Link to the full article.
- European Linen & Hemp corporate website
- Quand le lin normand s’émancipe de la dépendance chinoise, La Tribune, April 2021
- CFDA, Flax (Linen)
