When it comes to staying cool in summer heat, linen really can’t be topped. So, why has it developed a reputation as being a bit ‘past it’?

Most likely it’s a Victorian hang-up over creases, but as many Mediterranean dandies have proved, linen can make for a raffishly sophisticated look when you know its properties and how to get the best out of them.

What Is Linen?

Linen is a natural fibre made from the stalks of the flax plant Linum usitatissimum. There is evidence to suggest that a linen manufacturing industry was in operation in Egypt over 4,000 years ago. Knowledge of the processes involved in making linen was eventually carried into southern Europe via the Phoenicians, but it was Belfast in Northern Ireland that became the linen hub of the world, producing almost all of the fabric during the Victorian era.

Bed linen was coveted by the upper classes for its cool and soft feeling against the skin, becoming a mark of wealth and social standing. These days, textiles account for the majority of linen grown, with clothing forming only a very small percentage, making a well-sourced and cared for linen shirt an all the more valuable addition to your wardrobe.

Linen Versus Cotton – The Benefits

Coolness

Linen is highly breathable, much more so than cotton due to its comparatively lower thread counts. Take bed sheets, for example. A fine Egyptian cotton bed sheet will start at about a 200 thread count, while a similar quality linen sheet will have a thread count of between 80 and 150.

Absorbency

Linen has a very high moisture absorbency rate, making it the ideal summer fabric for hot and humid climates. It’s also hypoallergenic, which means sweat is less likely to break down its fibres. Combined with its lack of elasticity, this ability to quickly absorb and wick away moisture from the body accounts for the ease with which linen can crease.