It’s no secret that summer is getting hotter, and that climate change is largely to blame. But don’t worry: this isn’t a lecture about footprints or fossil fuels, it’s a practical guide for getting through the heat - with help from our old friend, linen!
Not only is linen extremely comfy to wear and very breathable, it’s also better for the environment than many conventional materials (okay so maybe this is a little bit about footprints after all). We’ll touch on the sustainability of linen later, but for now, let’s take a look at how linen became a summer staple.
Why Linen Is The King Of Cool
1. Sweat patches? Not anymore.
Linen is scientifically proven to be cooler than cotton or silk. As professor of fiber science, Jintu Fan told Vogue: linen has high moisture absorption and relative stiffness. The first helps linen to “absorb sweat” while the latter aids “ventilative cooling” by creating a space between the garment and skin.
At a less scientific level, linen simply feels much lighter on the skin than cotton - and is less suffocating than materials like polyester. The breathability and cooling qualities of linen make it the perfect antidote to hot summer days.
2. Looks More Luxe Than Cotton
Linen’s advantages don’t stop there. It also has the edge over cotton in terms of visual appearance. Due to a grainy, feel-good texture the material stands out from the crowd. It has associations with being more deluxe and stylish than its cotton cousin, so there’s really nothing to loathe about linen!
3. Endures For Thousands Of Years (No Exaggeration)
In theory, linen is nature’s strongest fabric. It stands the test of time - the oldest dress in the world is famously made from linen! While our linen styles might not last quite as long, this fabric does help us meet one of our major sustainability goals: to make garments that are durable. Why does durability matter? It’s both better for your wallet and the environment if we can all consume less clothing in the long run. This addresses two of fashion’s biggest issues - disposability and overproduction.
4. Plant-based Perfection
‘Just wear vegetables!’ cry the people of Reddit. While they’re not strictly correct (linen is a plant, not a vegetable) the point remains: linen is a natural material that requires little resources to be grown. It’s more labour intensive than cotton - accounting for linen’s higher price point - but in terms of artificial chemicals, the difference is noticeable. Linen requires fewer pesticides and fertilisers than cotton. Flax is also said to be more climate adaptable, meaning that it should resist rising temperatures and provide sustainable income for farmers.
We like linen because it’s naturally cool. As previously mentioned, linen is ultra-breathable and its natural origins make us feel proud to wear it.
5. Just Chill, Dude
Ironing is the last thing we want to be doing during a sweltering summer. But some people worry that it’s all they’ll end up doing if they wear linen. Our answer? Don’t run from the creases: embrace them! One of linen’s most gorgeous properties is its wrinkled texture. It definitely fits with our surf and Mediterranean aesthetic, but if you’re seriously preoccupied by the idea of wrinkles, you could try following the Guardian’s advice - to tuck linen shirts in, and to not wear linen trousers to the office (where you’ll presumably be sitting down periodically). Linen jackets should go draped over the back of chairs to keep their shape.
Personally, we think the relaxed nature of linen is a look in and of itself.
Linen is a must for summer because it’s synonymous with the season’s best looks. It looks sophisticated while at the same time giving your skin plenty of room to breathe. A summer staple that we can’t get enough of. Browse our sustainable styles (Men | Women) to discover how we’ve used linen this season.