Made from the fibers of the flax plant, linen is a durable and highly breathable fabric used frequently in summer apparel such as dresses and shirts, and interior décor such as tablecloths and bed sheets. Couture Lin, a member of Saneco Group, the world’s largest distributer of flax linen, has offered incredible high quality linen fabrics since 1950. Located in Nieppe, in Northern France, Couture Lin distributes beautiful and unique flax linen fabrics sourced from Saneco’s global network of farmers, designers, and weavers.
While linen is produced throughout the world, Europe, and France specifically, has unique ties to the history and importance of linen, and Couture Lin plays an important part in continuing to build that rich heritage. Initially a fabric unique to Egypt, mass production of the textile migrated to the low countries of Europe when the Roman Empire collapsed and Egypt fell under the rule of a number of Islamic dynasties in the 7th century. The production and applications of linen in Europe varied by region; Spain became known for its flax fishing nets, and the Gallic provinces produced celebrated linen sailcloth.
Linen made its way to the markets of France in the 12th century with the introduction of the tablecloth. Before this period in Europe, formal meals were eaten low to the ground, with participants reclining leisurely. This custom changed as upright dining tables and chairs became popular among the higher classes, and French linen became the de facto fabric in the production of tablecloths. It’s hard to believe, but early tablecloths were used as communal napkins, employed by dinner participants to clean food and drink from their faces and hands!
In the 16th century, Protestant Huguenots were forced to flee France for fear of religious prosecution. Many flax farmers and weavers were included in this exodus, and thus French linen continued to grow in popularity in the areas where the refugees settled, primarily countries in northern Europe such as Belgium.
Today, flax is one of the only remaining crops still produced in Western Europe. The process required to produce linen involves many steps that must be carefully executed in order to produce the versatile fabric we know and love today. The process begins in March when the flax seeds are planted. The plant has a short growing cycle, which takes only about 100 days, ending with harvesting in July. In June, the plant will show signs of ripening when it takes on a rich golden hue and flowers for just a single day, adorning the golden fields with fleeting specks of violet, white, and blue.
After the flax is harvested, it is stacked to dry and the seeds are removed. The material then undergoes a treatment called retting, in which the flax is moistened to breakdown the proteins that bind the fibers. While in the past retting was done in rivers, today, the flax is spread in fields and subject to rain and dew for a number of weeks. The flax is then mechanically stripped and combed and the fibers are divided into long ‘line,’ and short ‘tow.’ The tow is used in coarse yarn while the line is spun into fine linen yarn that is woven into cloth.
Saneco produces some of the finest linens in the world, and Couture Lin makes these incredible fabrics accessible to top creatives. All of Couture Lin’s linens are made from only the very best French and European flax fibers sourced from a close network of family-owned and small farms. In addition to traditional linen, Couture Lin also offers innovative blends such as strikingmetallic linen. Their fabrics make beautiful apparel, fashion accessories, tablecloths, and bed linens. Their commitment to excellence and innovation reflect the rich history of European linen.