5 Tips on making Linen last

Linen has been around for thousands of years and yet its popularity is still growing. It is a stunning natural fabric that proves to be very comfortable regardless of the weather. The Linen fibre can allow for the fabric to breathe, allowing for great air circulation.  Linen fabric is stronger than cotton and is weaved a different way.  So, how do you look after such a beautiful fabric to ensure you get the most out of it.

1.  Washing

Linen is a delicate fabric, but also remarkably long-lasting when treated correctly. As with any fabric, it’s always important to look at the washing instructions on the label, provided by the manufacturer.  Here are some tips:

• Wash your linen separate to other clothing, and as always, ensure you wash your whites and lighter colors separate to darker colors. 
• Linen must be washed on the machine’s gentle cycle.  Some washing machine’s allow you to select the water level, so if it’s possible, always select the maximum water level so that the linen can move freely, enabling the best wash.
• The water should be lukewarm or normal temperature, but don’t use hot or cold water.
• If you are going to hand wash your linen clothes, place them in a clean sink and use cool water and mild washing powder.  Work with the fabric gently and remove from foamy water and rinse with another clean cool batch of water until it becomes soap free

2. Drying

One of the great things about Linen is that it dries really fast.  It should be dried on a flat surface. Given how quickly it will dry, and its tendency to shrink when exposed to heat, air drying is your best bet when it comes to your linen clothes.  Put the items flat on a drying rack and try to avoid the use of clothespins as it may cause marks on the fabric or may deform the garment. You may also like to hang them on a hanger as they dry.  Hanging them over something may result in the item losing its shape. 

3. Ironing

If your linen clothes need to be ironed, it’s best to use a water spray to keep the fabric slightly damp.  Don’t forget to select the Linen option on your iron, the last thing you want to do is burn the fabric.  Bright and dark colored linen clothes should be ironed on the backside of the garment to avoid shiny patches or fading.

4. To dry clean or not to dry clean?

You absolutely are not bound to dry clean your linen. In fact, with the exception of linen suits, most of your linen clothing will benefit from regular old laundering and are best not dry cleaned. Linen suits and blazers are another story because of their construction would benefit from being dry cleaned. For the rest you can do the gentle wash.

5. The Wrinkle Factor

Whether or not to iron your linen clothes is exactly up to you!. You probably won't want to iron a slouchy linen top, but perhaps you'll want a crisper look when it comes to a more tailored linen shirt that you plan to wear to the office, or a linen dress worn at a wedding or other dressy occasion.

You can always iron a shirt while its still a little damp or if it is dried, spraying some water on it might be enough to help you effectively iron. 

If you treat your linen well, it will last a really long time.  We are always bringing out new fashion ranges, why not take a look at what's new! 

www.annglinen.com