Linen: Fabrics Woven from Moonlight

Fabrics Woven from Moonlight

Linen is one of the oldest materials in the world. The name “Linen” comes from “Linum” (Latin) or “Linon” (Greek), the word “Lanh” in Vietnamese comes from “Lin” in French.

Linen fabric is woven from the fibers of the flax plant, a plant native to Switzerland.

Flax in English can be called Flax (this is the most common name of flax in English) or Linen (this word is usually used to refer to fabric woven from flax fibers, however, it can also be used to refer to flax) or Linseed (this word refers to flax seeds, used to produce linseed oil and other products) or Common Flax (this is the scientific name of flax, Linum usitatissimum)

The ancient Egyptians gave Linen a poetic name: “the cloth woven from moonlight”.

Linen fabric has a long history, invented and used since ancient times.

Linen was named by the ancient Egyptians as the fabric woven under the moonlight because at that time, people often weaved linen at night, when the temperature dropped, the linen fibers became stronger and easier to weave. Thanks to that, linen woven under the moonlight was more durable and less wrinkled. Not only that, when night falls, the sunlight is not too bright, the weaver can see the linen fibers clearly and perform the weaving operations accurately.

Nowadays, with the development of technology, linen can be woven at any time of the day. However, the name "moonlight woven cloth" is still used to remind the ancient tradition of weaving linen.

In addition, there are some other theories about the origin of the name "moonlight fabrics". Some theories suggest that this name comes from the fact that ancient people often weaved linen at night to avoid sunlight fading the fabric. Some other studies suggest that this name comes from the fact that ancient people often weaved linen at night to avoid being disturbed by others.

Linen Weaving Process

1. Harvesting: Flax is harvested when the stalks turn yellow after flowering, about 100 days after planting, by hand or machine. The stalks are cut and dried in the sun. When harvesting, the flax must be cut close to the base to ensure fiber quality.

2. Fibre separation: Flax fibres are separated from the stalks by soaking them in water or chemicals for several days to soften the stalks. The stalks are then crushed to separate the fibres. The fibres are combed and fluffed to remove impurities and obtain the fibres.

3. Weaving: Flax fibers are woven into fabric using a loom. There are different types of weaves, including plain weave, keper weave, and satin weave.

   Plain weave: This is the simplest type of weave. The yarns are woven alternately in a pattern of one yarn on top and one yarn on the bottom.

   Keper weave: This is a diagonal weave. The yarns are woven alternately in a two-over, two-under pattern.

   Satin weave: This is a weave with a smooth, shiny surface. The yarns are woven alternately in a four-over-one-under pattern.

4. Finishing: Linen is bleached with chemicals to remove impurities and make the fabric brighter white. Linen can then be dyed in a variety of colors. Linen can be treated to increase durability, wrinkle resistance and shrinkage resistance.

Characteristics of Linen fabric

The more you use it, the softer and smoother Linen becomes.

• Good sweat absorption: Linen fabric has the ability to absorb sweat twice as much as cotton. Therefore, this is the ideal fabric for summer, helping you always feel cool and comfortable, airy. Linen fabric is light in weight and has a breathable structure, helping you feel comfortable when wearing, especially in hot weather conditions.

• Durability and Toughness: Linen fabric is durable, can withstand pulling and pressing force well. Linen fabric can be used for many years without tearing or damage, little shrinkage or wrinkling.

• Wrinkle and shrink resistance: Linen fabric is more wrinkle resistant than cotton. Therefore, you do not need to iron clothes often. Linen fabric shrinks less when washed. Therefore, you can wash Linen clothes easily.

• Antibacterial properties: Linen fabric is naturally UV resistant and antibacterial, helping to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold.

• Environmentally friendly : Linen is a natural, environmentally friendly fabric.

Applications of linen fabric:

• Garment: Linen fabric is used to make clothes, dresses, shirts, etc.

• Bedding: Linen fabric is used to make bedding, creating a cool and comfortable feeling when sleeping.

• Interior decoration: Linen fabric is used to make curtains, tablecloths, etc.

Notes when using Linen fabric:

• Linen fabric wrinkles easily but does not crumple or deform.

• Linen fabric should be hand washed or machine washed on gentle cycle.

• Linen fabric needs to be dried in the sun.

Linen Fashion - the eco-friendly choice

• Linen fabric is of natural origin:

  Linen fabric is made from flax, a natural fiber derived from the flax plant. Flax can be grown without the use of harmful chemicals or chemical fertilizers.

• Skin-friendly Linen fabric:

  Linen fabric has good sweat absorption ability, keeping skin dry and comfortable.

• Linen fabric according to sustainable production criteria:

  Linen production uses less water and energy than other fabrics such as Cotton or Polyester.

To produce 1kg of Linen fabric requires about 2,000 liters of water. This amount of water is used for the following processes:

• Growing flax: Flax is a water-intensive crop, requiring an average of 1,000 - 1,500 liters of water to produce 1kg of flax.
• Harvesting flax: The process of harvesting flax also requires a certain amount of water, about 500 - 700 liters of water for 1kg of flax.
• Flax processing: After harvesting, flax needs to be processed to remove impurities and form flax fibers. This process uses about 500 - 700 liters of water for 1kg of flax.

The amount of water required to produce linen can vary depending on factors such as climate, farming methods, and how the flax is processed. However, in general, linen production is a less water-intensive operation than other fabrics such as cotton. Using linen is an environmentally friendly choice, especially in a world where water resources are becoming increasingly scarce.

To produce 1kg of cotton fabric, about 20,000 liters of water is needed. This amount of water is used for the following processes:

• Growing cotton: Cotton is a water-intensive crop, requiring an average of 1,500 - 2,000 liters of water to produce 1kg of cotton.
• Cotton harvesting: The cotton harvesting process also requires a certain amount of water, about 100 - 200 liters of water for 1kg of cotton.
• Cotton processing: After harvesting, cotton needs to be processed to remove impurities and form cotton fibers. This process uses about 10,000 - 15,000 liters of water for 1kg of cotton.

The amount of water required to produce cotton can vary depending on factors such as climate, farming methods and processing of the cotton. However, in general, cotton production is a water-intensive activity. Using cotton can have negative impacts on the environment, especially in a context where water resources are increasingly scarce. To reduce this impact, we can choose eco-friendly cotton products, which are made from organic cotton and use less water.

To produce 1kg of Polyester fabric requires approximately 76 liters of water. This amount of water is used for the following processes:

• Polyester Resin Production: This process uses about 70 liters of water for 1kg of Polyester resin.
• Polyester Resin Processing: This process uses about 6 liters of water for 1kg of Polyester resin.

The amount of water required to produce Polyester fabric can vary depending on factors such as factory size, manufacturing technology and the type of Polyester resin used. In general, Polyester fabric production is an activity that consumes less water than the production of other fabrics such as Cotton, Linen. However, using Polyester fabric can cause negative impacts on the environment, such as air pollution and soil pollution because of its non-biodegradable nature. To minimize the impact on the environment, we can choose recycled Polyester fabric products, which are produced from renewable resources.

• Linen Fabric Reduces Air Pollution:

  Linen production uses less energy than other fabrics. Flax fibers can be woven by hand on looms, without the need for machinery. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to environmental protection.

• Linen fabric reduces chemical use:

  Linen fabric production does not use toxic chemicals such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Flax is quite pleasant and in harmony with nature. This helps protect human health and the environment.

• Biodegradable Linen:

  Linen fabric can be naturally decomposed in the environment in a short time, in as little as 2 weeks if it is completely natural, without causing environmental pollution. The decomposition time of linen fabric can vary depending on factors such as thickness, tightness of the fabric and environmental conditions.

There are two main ways to decompose Linen fabric:

• Natural Decomposition: Linen can decompose naturally in the environment in as little as 2 weeks if it is completely natural. This decomposition process is done by microorganisms in soil, water or air. To decompose Linen naturally, you can either put it in the organic waste bin or bury it in the soil.

• Biodegradation: Linen can also be biodegraded in an artificial environment, such as a biodegradable container. This process is faster than natural decomposition, usually taking about 1-2 months. If you want to biodegrade your Linen, you can put it in a biodegradable container.

Cotton fabric decomposition time: 100% Cotton fabric can take from 6 months to 1 year to completely decompose in the natural environment, decomposition time can vary depending on the following factors:

• Thickness and density of fabric: Thick and dense cotton fabric will take longer to decompose than thin and loose cotton fabric.
• Environmental conditions: Cotton fabric will decompose faster in warm and humid environments.

To help natural fibers like Linen and Cotton decompose faster, you can do the following:

• Cut the fabric into small pieces;
• Crush the fabric before placing it in the organic waste or biodegradable container.
• Add a composting stimulant, such as fruit or vegetable juice, to your organic waste or biodegradable container.

Polyester fabric decomposition time: is a synthetic fabric made from Polyester resin, so Polyester fabric has the characteristics of artificial resin with high durability and high resistance, difficult to decompose. Polyester fabric can take from 20 to 200 years to completely decompose in the natural environment. Under suitable environmental conditions, Polyester fabric can be decomposed by microorganisms, but this process is very slow.

Using Polyester fabric can have negative impacts on the environment, such as pollution from plastic waste. To reduce the impact on the environment, we can choose recycled Polyester fabric products, which are produced from renewable resources.

• Linen fabric brings economic value:

Linen fashion can also save you money. Linen is durable and can be used for a long time without falling apart. This helps you reduce the need to buy new clothes, contributing to reducing the impact on the environment.

There seems to be no reason why we shouldn't love Linen.

Linen fabric weight

220gms/ 200gms/ 180gms/ 150gms... What do these numbers mean?

Fabric count is the weight of the fabric per unit area. Fabric count or Gsm (short for grams per square meter) means “grams per square meter” (grams/m2). Fabric count is a standard measurement of fabric that is the ratio of the weight of a piece of fabric to the area of ​​the fabric. The unit of fabric count is g/m2.

So the weight of Linen fabric is the weight of the fabric per 1m2.

220gms =220g/1m2

180gms = 180g/1m2

150gms = 150g/1m2

The higher the yarn density (also known as the number of yarns), the larger the fabric weight (ie gms), the thicker the fabric and of course, the higher the yarn count, the more yarn will be needed, leading to the fabric cost increasing according to the increase in fabric weight.

The higher the fabric weight, the more expensive it is (this is calculated based on the same production and weaving process). The thinner the fabric thread density, the thinner the fabric.