Linen is really a fabulous fibre. It uses far fewer resources than man made polyester, which is a plastic derived from fossil fuels, and much less than its fellow plant-based fibre cotton.
Flax needs 60% less water to grow than cotton simply because it is primarily grown in wetter climates and can rely solely on rainwater. In contrast, cotton is often grown in drought prone areas and needs intensive irrigation. Irrigating soils have long-tail effects including soil erosion and salinity, which means overtime, the quality of the soil is diminished. Flax is not as susceptible to disease and pests as the cotton plant so it requires less chemical pesticides and fertilisers. The other bonus with the flax plant is that it is very versatile and other parts of the plant can be used to make other useful products so nothing gets wasted. Linseed oil used as a furniture and wood varnish is just one example. And if that wasn’t enough, if linen is left undyed and in its natural colour – ivory, tan, grey, ecru – it is 100% biodegradable.
