LINEN FIBERS, from the flax plant, are more durable than cotton and, since they vary widely from fine to coarse, produce a range of materials of different weights from sheer handkerchief and dress materials to tweeds for summer suits and coats. Linen fabrics are absorbent and comfortable to wear in warm dry climates. They have a soft luster and good draping qualities, but they wrinkle easily unless given a special finish. The finishes make linens less absorbent, and less likely to shrink when they are laundered. If linens do shrink they can usually be restored to their original size if they are ironed damp. Laundering linen is discussed in the chapter dealing with dining rooms.

Fabrics made entirely of linen fibers are labeled "linen," "pure linen," or "flax." When blended with another fiber the law requires that it be marked to give the percentage of each fiber, or that the content be disclosed by weight. Materials of other fibers, treated or woven to look like linen, may be labeled "rayon linen," "nylon linen," or "silk linen." Other fibers with trade names using the syllables "lin" or lynn," etc., may be entirely of another fiber.

ALL-WOOL FABRICS, like the cottons, are no longer content with the old way of life. Naturally resilient and resistant to wrinkles without the help of chemicals or other fibers, they are cherished as they are. However, science is seeking to add new virtues to the old standby. In the offing are permanent pleats, which is to say more permanent and woolens that resist soil and defy shrinkage. New treatments also are being sought that will make wool moth-, mildew- and acid-resistant. If a method is found to give acid resistance, acidic dyes can be used for woolens, which will mean clearer, more brilliant colors. Woolens / Rayon

SHRINK-RESISTANT WOOLENS are actually in the test stage now. The process found is said to come close to eliminating or controlling shrinkage. A blend of resin chemicals is applied to the woolen fabric after it has been processed. The film with which the fibers are coated makes for toughness, durability, and flexibility. Besides making the wool shrink-resistant it helps reduce pilling the formation of little balls of wool on the surface of the fabric. So, in the future, expect wools that can be tossed into the washing machine. Tests made showed that after a slight shrinkage in the first washing, repeated launderings in a home washer did not affect the treated fabric further.

LAUNDERING WOOLS. While waiting for the advent of this shrinkproof wool on the retail market, we had better follow, for washable woolens, the general procedure outlined for woolen blankets but wash sweaters and other woolen clothing by hand. Use mild detergents, water that is just warm, and the minimum handling that is involved in the soak-wash method. Remember to pretreat spots (a little soft brush is best) with your detergent. Blends of wool with silk, cotton, or synthetic fibers can be safely washed by the method used for all-wool materials.

WOOLENS SHOULD BE PRESSED with a warm iron, preferably with a press cloth to avoid scorch and shine. Use a stamping rather than a gliding technique and always leave them slightly damp, to finish drying on a hanger. They will have a fresher appearance.

SOME WOOLENS ARE NOT WASHABLE so you must look for the label.

All wool fabrics naturally resilient and resistant to wrinkles without the help of chemicals or other fibers. Used mild detergent and warm water for laundering. See the kinds of wool which you have before cleaning.