It's important to take care of your linen so it sees out the end of summer and is ready again for the following one! Linen may be hardy, but it needs a bit of TLC to keep it fresh. Before you stow it away in a month or two, give it a good clean. Our tips below:
Derived from the flax plant, this fabric is renowned for its light, breathable and elegant nature - making it a favourite in summer as it keeps you cool in the heat, and looks stylish while doing so. Generally woven (although knitted linen is sometimes used for t-shirts) we use linen for our collared shirts, shorts and occasionally even suiting.
Highly absorbent and quick drying, linen gets softer the more you wash it and generally doesn’t tend to pill. As linen has limited elasticity compared to other fibres, it tends to crush and crease more easily - a signature property of the fabric. This means it’s important to always store, hang and press your linen garments properly. That said, don’t get too bothered if your shirt’s a bit creased by the end of the day, it’s part of the charm - and at least people can tell straight away that you’re wearing linen!
As linen is more durable than cotton, it can withstand machine washing - however, handwashing is something we always recommend for simple garments like shirts as it uses less water and power. We recommend avoiding dry-cleaning as it can be too harsh on this natural fibre.
Avoid tumble drying linen, always air-dry if possible - this also helps minimise the amount of ironing required. When ironing your linen items, try to do so when they’re still a little damp - or give them a light spray of water.
Store your linen garments in a cool, dry place. Shirts and trousers are best hung, rather than folded, to avoid crease marks.