For centuries, linen has been an exceptional fabric with special properties. The natural comfort and durability, the look and elegance of linen make it the ideal fabric for tasteful - and contemporary products. Today, we are increasingly inclined towards ethics, responsibility and an intelligent way of dealing with our raw materials. Linen is interesting because it possesses many of these values.
Linen fabric comes from the flax plant; the oldest cultivated plant known to man. The Latin name of the flax plant is Linum Usitatissimum, from which the word linen is derived. As early as 3000 BC, Mesopotamians cultivated flax. They made ropes, threads and even clothing from it, and in ancient Egypt linen was a symbol of status and wealth. Their pharaohs were mummified in linen or flax fabric. It is often referred to in the Bible.
LINEN FROM WESTERN EUROPE
The absolute best flax grows in Western Europe. Our temperate climate has the ideal alternation of sun and rain, which allows large and strong plants to grow here. Because the longer and stronger the fibre, the better the quality of the linen. More than 75% of the flax fibres used worldwide to weave linen fabric come from France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
SUSTAINABLE LINEN
Linen fabrics are particularly durable. The plant requires relatively little water during growth, let alone the fields need to be irrigated. Little to no crop protection is used during cultivation and, in addition to the fibres for linen fabrics, all other parts of the plant are used to produce food, paper or insulation material.
The benefits of linen are numerous: Durable and comfortable: Linen is fresh, clean, has a rich texture and feels pleasant to the touch. It is soft, yet strong and has a long lifespan; the more you use it, the softer and stronger it becomes. Ideal for both warm and cold weather: Linen creates a feeling of freshness in the summer and comfortable warmth in the winter. This is due to the high thermal insulation properties of linen.
CREASING IS THE CHARM OF THE FABRIC
Indeed. Linen wrinkles, but can be ironed well at a very high temperature, preferably when it is still slightly damp. However, keep in mind that linen always wrinkles and that this is part of the fabric’s charm. As a German customer once said to us: “Das krinkelt edel.”
LINEN AT THE ENGLISH HATTER
Linen is something you have to experience. The look and feel is elegant and luxurious, but at the same time also tough and comfortable. The English Hatter sees an increasing demand for linen items. From hats, caps, jackets, trousers and shirts to handkerchiefs made of Irish linen. The English Hatter offers you a beautiful range. Because once you have worn linen, you will realise that there is hardly a way back to other fabrics.
