Jack Johnson

Linen is a natural fiber, harvested from plants known as flax plants. Europe hails linen as the highest quality of fabrics. The more linen is utilized and washed, the softer it becomes. With that said, it is surprising that this fiber is very durable and can last for decades. Old fashion linen is considered very valuable, for the feeling of hand made linen cannot be imitated by modern day machinery.

Linen was first created over 8000 years ago, as the first ever fiber used in the making of a fabric. The concept was practiced first by the Mediterranean region, in which the nations of Europe were quick to adopt, where its popularity took off during the Middle Age. It was the most common of fabrics, and remained popular even after the introduction of cotton in the 14th Century, first made from Arabic countries.

Linen has been a cherished fabric used by numerous royals and nobles. Linen was considered the king of fabrics until the 18th century when the Industrial Revolution took off, in which new machinery at the time was much more compatible with cotton, and was much more affordable to consumers. Linen is now touted as a "luxury fabric" for its better all around quality than cotton.

The extraction of linen fibers from flax plants is a long, process. The flax plants are to be pulled out by hand. Cutting a plant from the ground using a tool is not recommended, as you would not get fibers as long as the plants that are carefully pulled out from the root. The plants are then left to lie in a field, where bacteria and fungi can appear to soften them up. The bacterium decomposes the woody parts of the plant, separating the harder products inside the plant from the fiber that is to be extracted. After workers extract fiber from the flax plants, they are to be stored in a shelter for no less than two months, where the fiber becomes more soft over time.

After two to three months, the fibers are combed to remove byproducts and shorter fibers that would not serve much purpose otherwise. Long fibers are spun either by hand or using a tool or piece of machinery to be made into a yarn that can be made for bed linen, clothing, and upholstery. You will see many fabrics created this way when you shop for 100% pure linen sheets.

The yarn used for sheets are classified into different grades. Different countries use different techniques for spinning fibers into yarns to make linen sheets.

Linen is far different from cotton in many ways, from their appearance and feel to their internal properties. Compared to cotton on its first use, linen can feel much stiffer, but cotton will only last up to 5 years before signs of wear start to appear. Unlike linen, cotton is more likely to break down from human perspiration.

Linen and cotton sheets are also to be used at different times of year. The summer time in when to shop for 100% pure linen sheets due to how breathable they are, where you want just the right layer of warmth for a cool night's sleep. Cotton is more ideal for winter, due to being a warmer fabric, but there are also other bed sheets for winter that are made of wool, flannel, and fleece.

In summary, linen is a great fabric that feels wonderful, serves several purposes, and can last for decades. Linen fibers are also structured to retain their shape over time, and are highly absorbent to moisture.