Linen has many properties that make it an ideal choice for clothing. First of all, it is a natural fiber, like 100% cotton or like wool, and in today's world, natural is certainly the way to go, not just because it's popular but because it's better for everyone involved. Natural fibers are gaining popularity for all textiles, not just for clothing but also for curtains, carpets and a variety of other household textiles. This is because textiles that are created by complex processes with petroleum and other non-renewable resources are contributing to the general decline of the state of the Earth. This is one of the good reasons to buy natural fiber clothing, but what are the reasons for choosing linen instead of cotton or wool?



It is certainly cooler than wool; obviously wool is not a good choice for year-round wear as it's simply too hot to be worn in the summer. Linen is a much cooler option for summer, and not only is it cooler than wool in summer, it is warmer than cotton in winter. Another amazing characteristic of it is that it can actually feel cooler in summer because its fibers actually pull heat away from your body. Similarly to synthetic materials that pull perspiration away from your body, the fibers in linen actually breathe more easily than cotton or wool do; the result of this is that heat is conducted away from your body. In addition to channeling heat away from the body, the fibers are very good at holding moisture without feeling wet. This is because the fibers can hold a lot more water than cotton can. As soon as some water is spilled on cotton, it feels wet, but linen does not behave in the same manner. It absorbs most of the water without giving the person wearing it the feeling that it is wet. This is in sharp contrast to wool, which does not absorb water, but rather lets it pool on the outside of the material. Wool also smells absolutely terrible when it has gotten wet; luckily, that is not the case for all natural fiber clothing.

Linen is also comfortably worn next to the skin, which can not be said about wool. It is said that it does not wrinkle easily, although many consumers would dispute that fact. However, it is not the kind of fabric that has to be frequently ironed; it comes out of the wash virtually unwrinkled, and though it may get wrinkled as you wear it, it does not, generally, detract from the attractive look of the clothing. The clothing has a natural look and only wrinkles in spots like your back if you've been driving for an hour. This type of wrinkling will occur with virtually any fabric, the difference is that not all fabrics wear their wrinkles the same way. Somehow, it is accepted when linen is wrinkled; whereas with cotton, it's generally not accepted.