The fact that linen is a sustainable fabric is a well known fact. But why is it so sustainable? In this blog we’re listing 9 surprising facts about the sustainability of linen.
- Small carbon footprint
Linen is made from flax. The flax plant is harvested in various places around the world, but the very best linen in the world is grown in the region between Caen in France and Amsterdam. This region offers the richest soil and the ideal climate for flax to grow. All of our linen comes from this region, which doesn’t just guarantee the best linen in the world, but it also means there’s not a lot of transport needed which means our linen has a small carbon footprint.
- No soil depletion
A lot of crops cause the soil in which they grow to be depleted. The depletion of the soil makes it harder for crops to grow on the same soil and makes it harder for CO2 to be absorbed. The flax plant does not deplete the soil, but actually feeds the soil in which it grows!
- Little water
Little water is used in the production of linen. If you compare the water use of linen production with the water use of cotton production, the difference is enormous. The production of a linen shirt requires about 6,4 liters compared to 2,700 liters of water to make a cotton shirt!
- Little use of pesticides and herbicides
The flax plant requires little to no pesticides and herbicides to grow. This means the growth of the plant doesn’t pollute the soil it grows in.
- All parts of the flax plant can be used
The flax plant is not only used for linen production. It is a hugely versatile crop that can be used for all sorts of things. The long fibers of the plant are made into linen yarn and the short fibers are used to make rope and coarse yarn. The straw is used for sheet material and the seeds are suitable for food and personal care products!
- Linen lasts a long time
While many fabrics wear out quickly, linen lasts a lifetime. The fiber of linen is about 30% stronger than cotton and also has a natural resistance to moths. The beauty of linen is that (unlike other fabrics) it actually becomes more beautiful with each wash.
- No microplastics
When washing synthetic fabrics, small plastic particles (microplastics) are released into the water with each wash. Because linen is a completely natural fabric, this is not the case with linen.
- Absorption of CO2
Another special fact about linen: while growing, the flax plant absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. Linen production in Europe absorbs 250,000 tons of CO2 per year. That is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of a Renault Clio driving around the world!
- Biodegradable
When linen finally reaches the end of its life for whatever reason, it comes full circle as it’s fully biodegradable. This means that the fabric does not contribute to the gigantic landfills accumulating around the world.
