How to Care for Linen Clothing
How to care and wash linen is a recuring question and this e-journal entry will answer it in the most genuine and straightforward way.
Being originally from France, my home always had some linen fabric used around the house but also as clothing. From my childhood experiences to making linen clothing today, there are a few notes that are worth highlighting about the different linen fabrics and their care.
Linen fabric, when washed for the first time, may shrink from 3 to 10% or so, depending on the weave and quality of the fabric. While the household fabrics could be washed at higher temperatures, it is recommended to prefer machine wash cold with mild detergent and hang dry you linen clothing. I would also add that any clothing should be cold/room temperature wash on delicate or by hand so that any fabrics' lifespan can be extended for as long as possible.
Not only is it good for the fabric, machine washing cold on delicate cycle with a natural, mild detergent or by hand, and letting air dry hanging or flat will also save on machine requirements, time spent at the laundromat, and save energy (and $$).
If like many Americans, one grows up using a washer and drier, stepping back to the old ways to air drying may seem a step backward, yet, your clothes, the Earth, and your wallet will thank you down the line. If using a dryer is a must, it is usually recommended to dry on a low-heat setting.
If you have any white or naturally died linen (or any fabrics in that regards), always try to have them wash separately so that the dies, primarily after purchasing your new items, do not wash off on one another.
Once dry, you can iron or steam the woven linen fabrics or iron with steam as needed. Woven linen wrinkles easily and becomes more subtle and softer over time, requiring less ironing. Some new extra-fine stonewash woven linen fabrics have an instant softening to the fabric (as used for the Sacbe Skirt), which requires little ironing. Linen jersey fabrics, on the opposite may only need cool temperature ironing for touch ups. Linen jersey fabric does not tend to wrinkle as much as woven linen fabrics and usually find its way back on its own after each wash. I personally tried steaming it - it doesn't do much to it and may curl up the edges - so I would not personally recommend the need to steaming on linen jersey.
If you happen to own linen crochet pieces (very hard to find but oh so wonderful to wear), the washing process would be more rigorous with cold washing by hand with a mild detergent (I use Marseille Soap, the original version or similar) and rinse it, squeeze gently and lay flat to dry, preferably in the shade to prevent over shrinking and discoloration.
When it comes to how often should linen clothing be washed, this is very much up to the wearer! I always wash my linen clothes way less than other fabrics since I find it feels cleaner. How often to wash linen clothing comes down to a personal preference, but with its natural anti-bacterial and thermoregulating properties, they could be worn more days, depending on how soiled they become and how they are used. Unlike cotton for example, high quality 100% linen fabrics do not develop a weird "old fabric body scent" over time, which help in feeling fresh and keeping clothing pieces for longer cycles.
Linen is an extremely durable fiber, and I even own a piece that my grandma gave me from the 1970s that still rocks! As long as your care for your fabrics and make sure to respect the machine wash instructions, this incredible fabric should stay with you for many years, if not decades to come!