LINEN- FABRIC OF SUMMERS

LINEN-FABRIC OF SUMMERS

When we talk about linen, we talk about comfort and fashion trend.

But many of us know very little about this wonderful summer’s fabric.

Linen is a fabric which is made from flax fibre. Due to its strength and durability it is one of most versatile and famous fabric in the textile industry. People prefer to wear linen clothes in hot weather as it I very strong and absorbent and dried faster than cotton.

Origin & History

Linen textile is one of the oldest textile in the world and history goes back almost 30,000 years old, when dyed flax fibre was found in a prehistoric caves of Gerogia. Linen was used in ancient civilizations including Mesopotamiaand ancient Egypt. It was once so precious that it was used for wrapping the bodies of mummies in Egypt, contributing to the preservation of these ancient treasures. There are many references to linen throughout the Bible, reflecting the textile's entrenched presence in human cultures.

Today, linen is used for making clothing, curtains, tablecloths, pillows, rugs, rope, etc. It's even blended with cotton to make the sturdy, paper-like substance that's used to create dollar bills.

The Egyptians indulged in a trade with Phoenicians who had their own merchant fleets, through which linen was traded with the people in the Mediterranean areas as well.

It is through trade that linen eventually reached Ireland, where one of the most systemized means to actually produce flax have been documented. Once this fabric was filtered into England, it came to India during the British Rule. Largely worn by wealthier British people, the fabric was eventually produced in India as well to cater to their needs.

The world’s oldest woven garment, called the Tarkhan Dress, probably fell past the knees originally. At 5,100 to 5,500 years old, it dates to the dawn of the kingdom of Egypt.

Making of Linen

Linen is a bast fiber. Flax fibers can usually be identified by their “nodes” which add to the flexibility and texture of the fabric.

The cross-section of the linen fiber is made up of irregular polygonal shapes which contribute to the coarse texture of the fabric.

The quality of the finished linen product is often dependent upon growing conditions and harvesting techniques. To generate the longest possible fibers, flax is either hand-harvested by pulling up the entire plant or stalks are cut very close to the root.

After harvesting, the plants are dried, and the seeds are removed through a mechanized process called “rippling” (threshing) and winnowing.

The fibers must then be loosened from the stalk. This is achieved through retting. This is a process which uses bacteria to decompose the pectin that binds the fibers together. Natural retting methods take place in tanks and pools, or directly in the fields.

After retting, the stalks are ready for scutching, which takes place between August and December. Scutching removes the woody portion of the stalks by crushing them between two metal rollers, so that the parts of the stalk can be separated. The fibers are removed and the other parts such as linseed, shive, and tow are set aside for other uses.

Next the fibers are heckled: the short fibers are separated with heckling combs by 'combing' them away, to leave behind only the long, soft flax fibers.

After the fibers have been separated and processed, they are typically spun into yarns and woven or knit into linen textiles. These textiles can then be bleached, dyed, printed on, or finished with a number of treatments or coatings.

Characteristics

Linen fabric feels cool to touch, a phenomenon which indicates its higher conductivity (the same principle that makes metals feel "cold").

It is smooth, making the finished fabric lint-free, and gets softer the more it is washed.

However, constant creasing in the same place in sharp folds will tend to break the linen threads. This wear can show up in collars, hems, and any area that is iron creased during laundering. Linen's poor elasticity means that it easily wrinkles.

Linen is relatively easy to take care of, since it resists dirt and stains, has no lint or pilling tendency, and can be dry-cleaned, machine-washed, or steamed.

A characteristic often associated with linen yarn is the presence of slubs, or small, soft, irregular lumps, which occur randomly along its length. In the past, slubs were traditionally considered to be defects, and were associated with low quality linen. However, in the case of many present-day linen fabrics, particularly in the decorative furnishing industry, slubs are considered as part of the aesthetic appeal of an expensive natural product. In addition, slubs do not compromise the integrity of the fabric, and therefore they are not viewed as a defect. However, the very finest linen has very consistent diameter threads, with no slubs at all.