Льон

Linen cloth has been produced since ancient times, primarily for use in clothing and household items. Linen textiles can be woven or knitted from flax fibers. Flax fibers vary in length from about 25 to 150 mm and average 12-16 micrometers in diameter. Linen takes significantly longer to harvest and process than cotton and is more difficult to weave.

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Properties and uses

Linen is a bast fiber, and flax fibers can usually be identified by their nodes, which add to the flexibility and texture of the fabric. The cellulose fibers in linen yarn are slightly longer and wrapped tighter than those in cotton yarn, which gives the cloth great durability and allows linen products to be long-lasting. Linen tends to wrinkle, but its strength and absorbency make linen clothing comfortable to wear in hot weather.

Linen fabric is one of the preferred traditional supports for oil painting, and it is preferred to cotton for its strength, durability and archival integrity. Artisan bakers also use it extensively. Irish linen is popular for wrapping pool and billiard cues because it keeps its strength when wet.

The flax plant

Cultivated flax grows to about 1.2 m tall, with slender stems. Flax is native to the region from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. The fiber is extracted from the bast beneath the surface of the stem. It is soft, lustrous and flexible, and it is stronger than cotton fiber but less elastic. The best grades are used for fabrics such as damasks, lace and sheeting, while coarser grades go into twine and rope. In 2022 world production of raw or retted flax was 875,995 tonnes, and France supplied 75% of the total.

Etymology

The word linen is related to lining, because linen was often used to create an inner layer for clothing. It is also related to lingerie, a French word that originally denoted underwear made of linen.