Lightweight and breathable, linen is a dream to wear in the summertime.
With a quick drying nature, linen makes the ideal travel companion and perfect fabric for a balmy day. Linen can often be misconceived to need professional care, but this is a total myth! Keep your linen clothing looking shmick and avoid the dry cleaning bill with these simple linen care tips.
Properties of Linen
Linen is a delightfully airy natural fabric derived from a flax pant and is full of wonderful qualities (other than its effortless and timeless look). Starting with its super breathable nature, linen naturally wicks moisture away from the skin and keeps you feeling fresh and cool on a warm summer’s day. Linen is also a strong and durable fabric, making it a great investment to stay in your wardrobe for years to come. Getting to know your linen is an important element to keep it looking crisp season after season and will ensure you and your new linen become besties and not foes.
How to Wash Linen
- As with all your other clothing, it’s important to check your care label before washing as each garment may have a different fibre composition or special finish that require a different type of love and care.
- Most linen garments can be washed by hand or on a gentle cold machine wash setting. If hand washing is your preference it’s best to not wring it out. This can create unwanted twists in the fibres causing your garment to lose its shape. If using the washing machine is more your thing, just make sure you don’t fill the machine to the brim to avoid any unnecessary pulling on the fabric that could cause it to skew in shape.
- Always use cold water to avoid the fabric shrinking and wash with like colours only. Heaven forbid your crisp white linen turning pink by being missed with a red, eek! When it comes to detergent, mild is always best.
- One of the amazing things about linen is that it actually gets softer wash after wash, so no need for a fabric softener!
How to Dry Linen
- Due to the fast drying nature of linen, you can easily leave it out to air dry and be ready to wear it again in no time! We don’t recommend tumble drying your linen because heat can damage the delicate fabric and the motion can cause unnecessary creasing
- You can leave your linen flat on a towel or rack for the best result, or if you are going to use hangers, cushioned ones work best to avoid any dints on the shoulders.
How to Iron Linen
- Part of loving your linen is accepting that it may crease during the day, but know this is an inherent feature of the fabric that adds to an effortless style and appeal.
- If you want a crisper finish to your linen, you can achieve this by ironing that garment when slightly damp from the wash. If you’re garment hasn’t come out of the wash you can dampen it with a few sprays of water from a spray bottle for the same effect.
- Set your iron to a medium-high heat and press just until the creases are released. If your garment is a bright or dark colour, it’s best to iron it inside out so that the colour stays nice and bright
How to Store Linen
- Our favourite way to store linen is by hanging it in a cool, dry closet immediately after washing and pressing. This keeps it nice and crease free instead of folding into a drawer and having to iron out the folds.
- If you’re traveling with your linen, avoid scrunching it up in your tote bag or suitcase to make your life a lot easier when preparing it for your next wear.
- If you’re new to linen we promise it’s going to become a new summer essential! Check out our latest new arrivals to get your summer wardrobe ready.