Natural Beauty

Derived from the flax plant, linen is one of the oldest textiles in the world, and its future is looking bright, too, says Celia Rufey

- Celia Rufey

Fibres from flax that we weave into linen were the first mankind took from a plant and used for textiles. Proof has come from woven scraps dating back many thousands of years, with a more documented history from ancient Egypt finding flax growing beside the River Nile, and most people wearing linen clothing, Linen didn't make its way to Europe until the 8th century but, by the 12th century, flax was being grown in Britain, with some households growing, spinning and weaving flax to sell and clothe their families.

Qualities that distinguish flax fibres for weaving linen include its 80cm-long stems. Linen is cool to touch, naturally anti-bacterial and highly absorbent, but also dries quickly. Its drawbacks are a tendency to crease and a lack of elasticity, making it more testing than other yarns to set up for weaving.