Linen: Why It Creases and How to Wear It

FASHION · GLOBAL

Linen: Why It Creases and How to Wear It

What linen does, weight and blends, washing and softening, and wearing it

Linen is the best hot-weather fabric there is and the one people abandon because of creasing, which is inherent rather than a fault.

Why it works in heat

The flax fibre is hollow and highly absorbent, taking up moisture and releasing it quickly, and the loose weave allows air through. It feels cool against skin and dries far faster than cotton.

It is also strong — stronger wet than dry — which is why good linen lasts decades and softens rather than wearing out.

Why it creases

Flax fibres have low elasticity, so they hold a fold. Chemical finishes reduce it at the cost of breathability, and a linen-cotton or linen-viscose blend creases less while losing some of the coolness.

The honest answer is to accept the creasing, which is what linen looks like.

Weight

Lighter weights around 150gsm suit shirts and are semi-sheer. Heavier weights suit trousers, jackets and bedding. Check the weight rather than the price.

Washing and softening

Cool machine wash on a gentle cycle, no fabric softener, and line dry. Linen softens with every wash, so a stiff new garment is normal.

Remove it from the machine promptly and shake it out, which prevents set-in creases.

Ironing

While slightly damp, on a hot setting with steam, or hang it in a steamy bathroom and leave it.

Linen in the home

Linen bedding is cool in summer, warmer than it looks in winter and improves with every wash. It costs more initially and lasts far longer than cotton, which is where the value sits.

Wash it cool, dry it partly and put it on the bed slightly damp if you dislike creasing.

Buying

Check whether it is European flax, the weight in gsm, and whether it is washed or stonewashed, which is softer from the start.

Linen through the year

Heavier linen and linen blends work well into autumn, layered under a jacket. The fabric is a poor windbreak, so a layer over the top does the work in cooler weather.

Store it folded and loosely, since compressed linen creases permanently in storage.

Buying linen clothing

Check the weight, whether it is lined where it matters, and how it is finished at the seams. Unlined linen trousers in a light weight are semi-sheer in bright sun, which surprises people.

Size slightly loose, since linen has almost no stretch and a close fit is uncomfortable in heat.

Cost

Good linen costs more and lasts years, softening rather than wearing out, which is where the value is.

Wearing it

A slightly looser cut hangs better and stays cooler.

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