Linen: the Elegant and Luxury Fabric for Your Bedding

As you know, we're huge fans of all things linen over at Linenbeauty. From its humble origins in the flax fields to its multi-purpose versatility, it's a fabric that contains centuries of human history within its threads. We thought we'd take some time to introduce any newbie linen lovers to this incredible fabric. So, read on to discover more about this elegant, luxurious fabric that's perfect for your bedding and also your bathroom, kitchen and so much more.

5 Reasons you should love linen too

• Strength – Linen is the strongest of the vegetable fibres and is 2-3 times stronger than cotton.
• Smooth – Flax fibre is not just strong, it's also smooth. This makes  linen material feel soft against your skin, and also produces lint-free fabric
• Natural – Linen is a natural product, coming from the delicate blue  flax plant. Its naturalness is reflected in the gorgeous range of muted greys you'll find in undyed linens. These tones work beautifully in minimalist, calming interiors. And if you want something brighter, linen takes really well to dyes, meaning you can get products in a huge range of shades
• Sustainability – Thanks to its natural origins, linen is biodegradable. It also uses fewer resources to grow and process than cotton, and is highly durable which cuts down waste. Cut-offs and remnants can be made into excellent tea towels and other useful household textiles
• Versatility – From bedlinen to wound dressings, for hundreds of years people have benefited from the moisture-absorbing, antibacterial and water-wicking properties of linen. You'll find it everywhere in the modern home too – from supersoft bath towels to casually elegant linen shirts

The low-down on the linen basics

Linen is gauged by both thread count and weight: a sheet, for instance, typically weighs 185 grams per square metre. These two measures, however, are not indicators of quality. The way to ensure you buy the best quality linen is to look at the production process. Experienced manufacturers know how to get the best from the fibres without over-stressing or weakening them.

Perhaps linen’s greatest appeal is its infinite variety. As well as being used to create a wide range of products, the fabric itself can be knobbly or glossy, transparent or weighty. Linen makes highly absorbent bathroom towels that don't have the bulk of traditional terry cotton towels. Lightweight and very finely woven sheer linens are perfect for handkerchiefs or blouses, while the more dense weaves make sturdy tablecloths. Loosely woven transparent table linen is an elegant centrepiece for more formal dining. The possibilities are endless:  lavender bags, tea towels, glass cloths, aprons, dressing gowns, bedcovers, blankets and upholstery. Whatever your home needs, there's probably a linen product to match!

For ideas on decorating with elegant, versatile, luxurious linen go here and here.