When temperatures rise my breathable, breezy linen clothes are the ones I reach for the most.
Linen fabrics are durable, long-lasting and they soften with time – ageing beautifully. Linen is resistant to clothes moths and dirt and the more linen is washed the softer the fabric gets. The down side? It has poor elasticity causing creases and wrinkling in the fabric due to the fibres not bouncing back readily.
My top tip is to buy linen clothes that are blended with cotton, silk or viscose. This gives the fabric a subtle sheen and a “memory” that prevents those deep, messy accordion wrinkles across the lap after five minutes of sitting.
Here is a four step guide on how to care for your linen, so it can last summer after summer.
MACHINE WASHING
Use a mild detergent and cool wash at 30 degrees on a short spin.
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The first time you wash a linen garment, wash it separately from other material as linen can cause lint.
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Linen is a natural fibre that can absorb a lot of water, only half fill the machine to avoid heavy creasing in the wash and allowing the linen room to move around.
DRYING
Straighten and gently reshape and stretch the linen after the wash whilst damp.
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Line-dry or air dry or dry flat.
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Do not tumble dry linen, as it may leave permanent creasing and it will shorten the life of the item. it can shrink up to 15%.
IRONING
It is best to use a hot iron while the fabric is still slightly damp. This should help give the distinctive crispness that linen is known for.
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If you are ironing an item that is embroidered, lay a cloth on the ironing board to protect the embroidery and iron the linen item on the wrong side. This should help to keep the embroidery face ‘risen’ and to protect the embroidery stitches.
STORAGE
When stowing away clean and dry linen at the end of the summer, store in a cool, dry place.
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Avoid wrapping it in plastic.
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Slatted wooden shelves will allow the air to circulate and keep your linen fresh.
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Try to store your favourite linen pieces as flat as possible to avoid wrinkling and creasing.