17 Facts About Linen

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.

Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton.

Linen textiles appear to be some of the oldest in the world; their history goes back many thousands of years.

Linen was used in ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, and linen is mentioned in the Bible.

Linen was sometimes used as a form of currency in ancient Egypt.

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Linen continued to be valued for garments in the 16th century and beyond.

The Living Linen Project was set up in 1995 as an oral archive of the knowledge of the Irish linen industry, which was at that time still available within a nucleus of people who formerly worked in the industry in Ulster.

Linen industry was increasingly critical in the economies of Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Linen was an important product in the American colonies, where it was brought over with the first settlers and became the most commonly used fabric and a valuable asset for colonial households.

Linen is mentioned in the Bible in Proverbs 31, a passage describing a noble wife.

Linen fabric has been used for table coverings, bed coverings and clothing for centuries.

Linen uses range across bed and bath fabrics ; home and commercial furnishing items ; apparel items ; and industrial products .

Linen handkerchief, pressed and folded to display the corners, was a standard decoration of a well-dressed man's suit during most of the first part of the 20th century.

Linen fabric is one of the preferred traditional supports for oil painting.

Linen is preferred to cotton for its strength, durability and archival integrity.

Linen fabric feels cool to touch, a phenomenon which indicates its higher conductivity .

Linen is relatively easy to take care of, since it resists dirt and stains, has no lint or pilling tendency, and can be dry-cleaned, machine-washed, or steamed.