Linen vs Cotton
The textile
Flax fibres are naturally thicker than cotton and up to three times stronger. This is what makes linen so durable and long-lasting. Unlike cotton where a higher thread count often resembles higher quality, thread count doesn’t determine the quality of linen. Linen fibres are coarser and longer in length compared to cotton resulting in 80-150 threads per square inch. This gives linen the breathability it’s famous for. This looser weave allows air to move through the fabric, keeping you cool during hot summers and warm during cooler nights. Linen is lightweight to wear or sleep under and it’s absorbent too. This means it will pull excess moisture away from your skin for comfort during even the hottest nights.
'thread count doesn’t determine the quality of linen'
Linen is naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-static and pill resistant, too. This is great news for allergy sufferers, but it also means dust and pet hair aren’t attracted to your linen. And because it won’t pill over time, you won't have to suffer through those unsightly and discomforting tiny balls of fibres all over your bed.
Cotton is often softer at first, but over time will weaken in tensile strength. Linen is the opposite. Over time, it will soften with each and every wash while maintaining its strength. This is why linen is commonly used for decades and in some instances, passed down through generations.
The environment
Flax is one of the most sustainable fibres in the world, grown organically without the use of pesticides or genetic modification. But the best part is it takes zero litres of water irrigation to produce one kilogram of flax. Cotton on the other hand is incredibly thirsty. It requires more than 7,000 litres of water irrigation to produce just one kilogram of cotton and more than 15 percent of all the world's pesticides are used to grow cotton. If that’s not bad enough, the high and frequent use of chemicals during manufacture of cotton garments and textiles make it even worse.
'15 percent of all the world's pesticides are used to grow cotton'
While chemical treatments are also used by other linen brands, we avoid or limit our use of chemicals significantly. We only use chemicals during the bleaching and dyeing stages as the chemical-free alternatives are not yet suitable. However, we purify the water used during these processes to remove any contaminants before releasing it back into the ecosystem. Beyond this, we choose to soften your linen using only mechanical processes instead of the toxic chemicals and huge water consumption required for stone-washed linen. It’s these small but mighty decisions that make us not your average linen brand, providing some of the finest linen in the world that’s made sustainably.
Not convinced? Learn why Belgian Linen is widely known as the finest in the world.
