What is Linen?

Linen is a cellulosic fiber obtained from the bast layer of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum), and the fabric woven from yarn spun from that fiber is also called linen. In English the plant is flax and the fabric is linen; the EU textile fiber names regulation names the fiber “flax (or linen)”. Linen fiber is strong and absorbs moisture well, but its elasticity is low and the fabric creases easily. It is used in clothing and in home textiles such as bedding, pillows and upholstery. In Turkish it is called keten.

What does “linen” mean?

The word covers the plant, the fiber and the fabric together. The Turkish dictionary of the Turkish Language Association (TDK) gives keten as a plant whose fibers are used in weaving and, as an adjective, “made from the fibers of this plant”; keten bezi (linen cloth) is among its compounds. The EU textile fiber regulation (1007/2011, Annex I) defines “flax (or linen)” as the fiber obtained from the bast of the flax plant, and CottonWorks likewise describes linen as a cellulosic fiber from the bast surrounding the plant’s stem. The Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus gives “linen” as the general name of fabrics woven from the spun fiber of the flax plant. By the same regulation, cotton is obtained from the bolls of the cotton plant: cotton is a seed fiber, linen a stem (bast) fiber.

How flax fiber is obtained

CottonWorks summarizes the process as follows:

1. Flax is grown to produce long, thin stalks; when mature, it is pulled from the ground.
2. Non-fiber material in the stalk is broken down by retting; the fiber mass is rinsed and dried.
3. Breaking and scutching separate the fiber from the woody part of the stalk.
4. Hackling separates the long fibers from the short ones.
5. The fiber is spun; linen yarn is given S twist.

Properties of linen

The moisture allowance in the table is a trade convention, not a measurement result. The findings are at fiber level; yarn count, weave density and finishing also shape fabric behavior. On heat the sources do not point the same way: the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp, a European linen industry body, reports, citing a 2014 comfort study, that linen retains heat better than viscose and cotton. Do not tie a coolness expectation to a single number: air permeability (EN ISO 9237) and thermal and water-vapor resistance (EN ISO 11092) measure different things.

Uses

The Alliance groups linen uses into three areas: clothing (fashion), home textiles and interiors (from bedding to pillows and upholstery), and technical applications. On the technical side it names sports equipment such as tennis rackets, and thermal and acoustic insulation.

Linen, hemp, jute and ramie

All four are bast fibers, but they come from different plants. The EU regulation (Annex I) defines linen as coming from Linum usitatissimum, true hemp from Cannabis sativa, jute from Corchorus olitorius and Corchorus capsularis, and ramie from Boehmeria nivea and Boehmeria tenacissima, each as a separate fiber. On labels and in quotations, write the fiber under the name used in the regulation.

What to specify when sourcing linen

1. State the fiber percentage. “100% linen” and a blend do not behave the same. As of October 2026, EU Regulation 1007/2011 (Article 9) requires the label of textile products placed on the EU market to show the names and percentages by weight of all fibers, in descending order. Confirm the labeling rules for your own market with a regulatory specialist.
2. Name the yarn count system. In English count systems the hank length depends on the fiber: 840 yards for cotton and 300 yards for linen (MEB, 2014). For detail, see the yarn count conversion guide.
3. State weight in g/m², with the test method. Mass per unit area from small samples is measured to EN 12127.
4. Get linen's shrinkage in writing: the ISO 5077 measurement should follow ISO 6330 washing and drying procedures. Linen’s dimensional stability is reported as poor.
5. Judge creasing on the sample. Creasing is in the nature of the fiber; decide whether it is acceptable for your product by looking at a washed sample.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between linen and cotton?

They come from different parts of different plants. The EU regulation defines cotton as the fiber from the bolls of the cotton plant and linen as the fiber from the bast of the flax plant (Annex I): cotton is a seed fiber, linen a stem fiber. Karaman Atmaca (2019) lists linen fiber’s high strength alongside its low crease recovery angle and low elasticity, which is why linen fabric creases easily. The moisture allowances accepted by the regulation also differ: 12% for linen, 8.5% for normal cotton.

Does linen shrink?

Karaman Atmaca (2019) describes linen’s dimensional stability as poor. The amount of shrinkage varies by fabric, so have it measured on a sample washed to ISO 5077 and ISO 6330.

Does linen keep you cool in summer?

The sources do not give one answer. Karaman Atmaca (2019) says linen fiber has high thermal conductivity, while UAL says the fiber has no insulating property because it does not trap air. The European linen industry body, citing a 2014 comfort study, reports that linen retains heat better than viscose and cotton. In fabric, coolness also depends on weight, weave density and finishing; ask separately for air permeability (EN ISO 9237) and thermal resistance (EN ISO 11092) values. For test data across fibers, see the breathable fabrics guide.