Caring for Linen

A fabric that ages well

Linen, woven from flax, is the fabric of warm days: exceptionally breathable, cool against the skin, and quick to draw heat away. Unusually among fabrics, it improves with time. Where many materials degrade with washing, good linen grows softer and more comfortable, so a well-kept piece becomes more pleasant to wear the longer you own it.

The catch is that linen rewards understanding. Treated with a little knowledge it lasts for years and only gets better; treated carelessly it can be weakened or left permanently creased. The care it asks for is gentle and simple.

Make peace with the crease

The first thing to accept about linen is that it wrinkles, freely and unapologetically, and that this is part of its character rather than a flaw. Chasing a perfectly smooth finish will only frustrate you and lead to over-pressing, which does the fabric no favours.

Linen's creases are not a fault to fix but a texture to enjoy. That ease is the whole point of the fabric.

Once you stop fighting the wrinkles, linen becomes one of the most relaxing fabrics to own. Its softly rumpled look reads as easy and considered, which is exactly the mood linen does best.

Wash it cool and gentle

Linen is best washed cool and handled gently, since heat can shrink it and rough treatment weakens the fibres over time. Check the care label, and where washing is allowed, use cool or lukewarm water and a mild detergent.

• Wash linen in cool water on a gentle setting.
• Use a mild detergent and avoid harsh additives.
• Wash separately or with like colours the first few times.
• Do not overload, so the fabric can move freely and clean evenly.

Gentle washing keeps linen strong, and because the fibre releases dirt readily, it does not need aggressive laundering to come clean. A soft approach is all it wants, and it is the surest way to reach the softened, lived-in state that makes older linen so lovely to wear.

Dry it with care

Heat is where linen is most easily damaged, so drying deserves attention. High heat shrinks and stiffens the fibres, whereas gentle drying keeps linen supple and preserves its fit.

Air-drying is ideal: hang or lay the garment out while still slightly damp, smooth it into shape, and let it finish naturally. Taking it down while a touch damp, rather than bone dry, makes any later pressing far easier and helps the fabric keep its soft hand. Avoid drying linen in strong direct sun for long stretches, which can fade its colour.

Press only if you wish

Whether to iron linen is entirely a matter of taste. Left as it dries, linen has a relaxed, characterful look many people love; pressed, it turns crisper and more formal. Neither is wrong.

If you do press, iron linen while it is still slightly damp, which lets the creases release far more easily than when it is dry. A little steam helps. For a softer look with less effort, simply smoothing the garment by hand as it dries and giving it a gentle shake will settle most of the wrinkles without an iron at all.

Store it clean and breathing

Linen stores easily, asking only that it be clean and able to breathe. Marks and body oils left in the fabric can set over time and attract pests, so put linen away clean rather than soiled.

• Store linen clean to protect it from stains setting and from pests.
• Fold it loosely or hang it where it will not be crushed.
• Let it breathe rather than sealing it in airtight plastic for long periods.

Folded loosely and kept dry, linen waits happily until you want it again, and because a crease or two is part of its nature, it needs no fussing to look right when you take it out. That easy readiness is one more small pleasure of a fabric that seems designed to be relaxed about.

The reward of easy care

Linen's care comes down to a few gentle habits and one change of attitude: wash it cool, dry it kindly, press it only if you like, store it clean, and welcome the wrinkles. Do that, and linen gives back more than almost any fabric, softening and improving with every wear until a simple piece becomes a long-loved one, cool and comfortable through every warm day you own it. Few materials repay a little understanding so generously, which is what makes linen such a satisfying fabric to live with.