History of Linen

Why would the French throw the bread directly on the table? One theory is that they want to show how rich they are. In ancient times, those who can use the linen tablecloths are undoubtedly the wealthy. They wash the tablecloth thoroughly to make sure it is clean enough, then put the white, clean tablecloth on the table to entertain their distinguished guests. They don't really care their tablecloth is stained, therefore, they throw the bread on the table more to show their treasures and fortune.

In ancient Mesopotamia, the clergy would wear the linen clothing not only because they are rich, but because linen represents "purity". Judaism had launched a law to forbid the blending between wool and linen to prevent the civilians from wearing the preacher's apparels.

In middle ages, dining tables are symbols of power. The tablecloth must be big enough, its fabric must be linen material in order to show off wealth and authority of the nobles. The linen tablecloth is one of the traditional dowries, symbolizing the absolute luxury, extravagance, and preciousness.

As the extravagant king, Louis XIV held parties every night in his palace and all the dining tables were covered by all-white tablecloth which lengths are so long that each edge can hand down to the floor. Besides, in order to show off their extravagances, Louis XIV and the nobles used their own hands when having meals instead of using cutlery and wiped their hands on the linen tablecloth. We can image how wasteful and luxurious they are!

What's more, Louis XIV wore more than 10 sets of linen clothes every day and he wiped off his body with a perfumed linen cloth, which also makes linen popular and becomes the luxury among the aristocracy.

Sported by the likes of Cleopatra and Audrey Hepburn, linen fabric has been a go-to for centuries on end. Produced from the fibers of the flax plant, it is not only a fashion-forward choice, but its use also helps to minimize textile waste.

Is linen expensive?

However, many people will have a question: why some linen clothes are so cheap? I have to say:" because they are fake linen."  Fake linen is made of polyester or the low-quality products blended by oakum and cotton. Therefore, how to distinguish the high-quality linen products? You need to know these points as follows.

• As everyone knows, the best linens are produced in Europe, including the top Belgian linen, the France linen and etc. However, those linens are not the authentic Belgian or France linens. That's because the fibrils are always exported to other countries for weaving, such as China or India, which causes a totally different production standard. Compared with the authentic European linen products, the qualities of those imported linens are likely to be lower.

• When we choose textiles, we need to see the count of yarn. The higher of the counts yarn, the thinner of the gauze. However, linen is totally different because the classification and rank of linen are according to its weight. The unit is oz/yd², which means ounces per yard.

• Unlike silk and cotton wear, the flax clothing can be rough or soft, applying for different environments and different aesthetic demands. The most important selection's criteria depend on your own. The high-quality linens are soft, smooth and no impurities.

• Linen is expensive since it's hard to weave. Flax linen fiber is inelastic and easy to break in the production process, that's why its cost of production is higher than most of the fabrics. Remember! You get what you pay for! The pricing of the top linen brand is more than Euro200. For example, Libeco, Frette. Also, many celebrities love to wear linen outfits, like Meghan Markle dressing style. And HERE is my linen life faith.

How Linen Is Made

How to make linen from flax. Here this video shows you how a typical household would have produced linen from flax seed by hand.


Linen is a good fabric since it's soft, breathable, eco-friendly and can keep us cool during hot summer. If you are afraid of the hot summer, I suggest you read this blog What Clothes Can Keep Our Body Cool During Summer. In winter, linen also a best choice, How to Style Linen Outfits In Cold Months.

To know more about linen outfits, here are two articles that you cannot miss!

• 5 Best Fashion Ideas For Wearing Linen Pants
• How To Match Your Linen Clothing
• How To Wash Cotton Linen Clothing

Post by: http://morimiss.blogspot.com