Is Linen the penultimate slow fashion material?
Linen gets a lot of praise in the slow fashion community, and for good reason. It is durable, sustainable, and comfortable, the three key criteria for any successful slow fashion material. What is it that makes linen so great, and could it possibly win the title of best all-rounder fabric when it comes to sustainability?
To determine this, it is important to have a look at where linen comes from. It has been around for tens of thousands of years, showing that it is a material that has lasted throughout the ages. Used as currency in ancient Egypt, remnants of the fabric from that time still exist today, being a true testament to its durability. It is made out of the flax crop, which is a relatively easy crop to farm. Flax needs no fertiliser, much less water than other crops such as cotton, and is nowhere near as susceptible to pests, so pesticides are not needed.
Due to this, it is an incredibly environmentally sustainable and ethical material to produce. In harvesting, the crop is simply pulled out of earth and left out so that the outer shell biodegrades, leaving the strong fibres behind. They need no chemical interference to become linen, the fibres simply have to be loosened and pulled away from the rest of the crop. Unfortunately, some farms still use chemicals to further secure their crops from any pests. These can get into the waterways and remnants are left in the material, so it is always worth ensuring you are buying chemical free linen wherever you can.
We aim to provide only sustainably farmed and sourced linen at Lux Commune. We absolutely love linen, not only because it is environmentally and ethically responsible, but also because of the quality of the fabric. It is one of the strongest and most durable materials we have come across while also being biodegradable and breathable. It feels great on your skin, is cooling in summer and warming in winter, is easy to sew, dye, and create, and it lasts forever.
Linen could be considered one of the best candidates for the penultimate sustainable and responsible slow fashion material. If you don’t yet have any linen pieces in your collection, we highly recommend you invest in some, they won’t let you down.
Check out our slow fashion take on cotton here.
