Linen Effortless and feather-light, our linen styles offer chic and easy solutions to warm weather dressing. Linen is a natural fibre derived from the flax plant and it is thought to be one of the oldest textile fibres in the world, most notably used by the ancient Egyptians. Linen fabrics are durable, long-lasting and they soften with time – ageing beautifully. Linen is resistant to clothes moths and dirt and the more linen is washed the softer the fabric gets. The down side? It has poor elasticity causing creases and wrinkling in the fabric due to the fibres not bouncing back readily. Also, slubs in linen are small lumps of fibre that occur randomly and these are considered to be a part of the natural product rather than defects. Here is a guide on how to wash and care for your linen, so it can last summer after summer. HOW TO WASH, DRY AND IRON LINENA STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE MACHINE WASHING Always refer to the care label for guidance and temperature. When machine washing, we recommend washing at 30. STEP 1 To avoid colour transfer separate dark/coloured linens from white or off-white linens in the wash. STEP 2 The first time you wash a linen garment, wash it separately from other material as linen can cause lint. STEP 3 Linen is a natural fibre that can absorb a lot of water. Only half fill the machine to avoid heavy creasing in the wash and allowing the linen room to move around. STEP 4 Avoid using bleach on linen, as this weakens the fibres and it may affect the colour of dyed linens. Use a mild detergent and cool wash at 30 degrees on a short spin. DRYING STEP 1 Straighten and gently reshape and stretch the linen after the wash whilst damp. STEP 2 Line-dry or air dry or dry flat. STEP 3 Do not tumble dry linen, as it may leave permanent creasing and it will shorten the life of the item. it can shrink up to 15%. IRONING STEP 1 Check the care label for guidance on ironing temperature. STEP 2 It is best to use a hot iron while the fabric is still slightly damp. This should help give the distinctive crispness that linen is known for. STEP 3 If you are ironing an item that is embroidered, lay a cloth on the ironing board to protect the embroidery and iron the linen item on the wrong side. This should help to keep the embroidery face ‘risen’ and to protect the embroidery stitches. BACK TO PRODUCT CARE GUIDE