Yesterday I proudly announced an exclusive collaboration with Honesse.
I created linen makeup pouches and matching scrunchies especially for them to fit their spring collection. To stay in line with my view on sustainable fashion I went hunting for pre-loved linen and found an end of stock linen from a famous curtain store.
Honesse stands for ecologically and honestly made. A selection of nightwear, homewear, socks, underwear, t-shirts and care.
Linen is very strong and absorbent and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments.
Linen is extremely sustainable
When growing flax, very little water is required. Therefore, farmers do not need to irrigate or fertilize during this process. Flax typically requires fewer pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides as well.
Even once a flax plant is harvested, very little is wasted. Its seeds, for example, can be used to produce oil or can be eaten as a food source. Even when the upholstery is no longer needed, it is biodegradable.
Organic linen uses natural dyes, which are healthier for you and the environment.
Linen, a luxurious fabric
The cultivation is expensive and the production process has many labor intensive stages which makes linen an expensive fabric.
Extremely strong, lightweight and a natural fiber, like cotton, but it takes longer to harvest and make into fabric, as flax fibers can be difficult to weave. The fibers are extracted from the plant and stored for long periods of time to soften the fibers.
Linen is a luxurious fabric, popular in both ancient and modern times. Linen is up to three times stronger than cotton. This gives it great durability, allowing linen products to be passed down from generation to generation with long-lasting appeal.
Advantages of linen products
Because of its porous nature, linen has natural heat and moisture-wicking properties that make it a good conductor of warmth and a popular fabric to use for clothing or bedding in the summer.
The natural fibers also hold dye colours better than some other materials, and thus the fabric is available in almost any imaginable colour.
Linen is also naturally anti-bacterial, which made it a popular choice for bandages for centuries and a favourite for window treatments and accessories such as accent pillows.
Another advantage is that linen is hypoallergenic, it is friendly to a person’s skin and is perfect for allergy sufferers.
Disadvantages of linen products
Linen is notorious for being wrinkly. If you like the look and feel of linen clothing, prepare to do a lot of ironing if you want to keep wrinkles at bay unless you want to embrace the wrinkles for a more casual look.
Another con is that shrinkage can occur, so it is important to check and follow wash instructions.
Linen is actually one of the few fabrics that gets stronger when it is wet. Pure linen fibers don't stretch, and they are resistant to abrasion. However, because the fibers of linen fabric have such a low elasticity, they can break if they are folded and bent in the same area over and over.
Belgian linen, a label of quality
Flax is grown in many parts of the world, but top quality flax is primarily grown in Western European countries and Ukraine. Belgium produces, with Ireland and Italy, the highest quality fabrics. The unique climate and the expertise of the Belgian artisans, explains the superior quality of their linen.
By choosing Belgian Linen™, you choose for products manufactured with pride, from renowned companies. All have a long tradition (many are more than 100 years old) and a reputation of quality and service. Their manufacturing is extremely performant and respectful of high social and environmental standards.
