11 Linen Clothing Brands for Comfortable Sustainable Style
Linen clothing creates a natural, earthy, and comfortable feel. While linen is becoming more popular in the eco-friendly fashion scene, let’s explore the sustainability of this fabric and linen clothing brands to consider.
What is Linen?
Linen is a plant-based fiber made from flax. This natural fiber has been around for thousands of years and was popular in ancient Egypt.
As a lightweight material, this fiber was perfect for clothing in the hot and dry climate. Linen eventually spread to Western Europe, and in the 18th century became so popular in Ireland that Belfast even became known as Linenopolis.
Overtime linen became a popular fiber used to make household items such as towels, tablecloths, and bedding, as well as upholstery, wallpaper, diapers, bandages, and of course clothing.
Linen fabric is made through a process of retting in which the outer fibrous stems are separated from the woody inner. The outer fibers are then spun into yarn which is woven into fabric.
The Sustainability of Linen Fashion: Pros and Cons
There’s good reason for linen’s growing popularity. This fabric is moth-resistant, hypo-allergenic, and antibacterial, and its absorbency is what made it a popular fabric for towels and sheets.
Being a breathable, moisture-wicking material makes it ideal for cool summer clothing, while its efficient heat retention makes it good for winter too.
And, of course, it’s a natural fiber, which is great news for eco-conscious and vegan consumers.
Like every fabric it has its downsides too. Because linen does not have much elasticity, this fabric wrinkles easily; so either get ready to do some ironing or go for the authentic, lived-in look (my personal choice.)
Cost is another factor to consider: linen is laborious to make, making this one of the more expensive fabrics on the market. While its natural origins make it a more sustainable choice, this merit can be negated according to how it’s produced.
Is Linen Clothing Eco-friendly?
Linen can be a very sustainable product. The flax plant does not require much water, pesticides, or fertilizer to grow.
Most of the plant can be used, with the outer fibers of the stem used to make bedding, apparel, and associated accessories, while seeds are used for linseed oil.
Another big win is that when linen is not treated (i.e. dyed) it is biodegradable at the end of the garments lifecycle.
However, because it can be so expensive to make short cuts are sought which impact people and the planet. These short cuts result in damaging processes (such as with chemical retting), as well as longer and more demanding hours for workers.
That’s not to say you ought to reconsider purchasing linen. It is, after all, one of the more environmentally-friendly textile options. But you’d be best off seeking options that are organic and ethically made.
Organic Linen
Linen is organic when it is not chemically retted. When the retting process is done chemically, using alkali or oxalic acid, it can be damaging because it contaminates wastewater.
Organic linen makes the most of the flax plant’s environmentally-friendly attributes, like being grown without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
When shopping for linens, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for brands that value quality and longevity along with prioritize ethical practices.
10 Linen Clothing Brands to Shop
These brands are a great place to start when shopping for ethical & sustainable linen fashion. By shopping these sustainable clothing brands, it's a great way to support small businesses and an Etsy shop or two while purchasing your new linen pieces.
Some of the recommendations below are affiliate links. The Honest Consumer may receive commission if you decide to make a purchase. Our commission is at no additional expense to you.
Beaumont Organic: Linen Women’s Clothes
Beaumont Organic is a sustainable clothing brand for women while specializing in creating pieces that are organic, made with fair trade practices and eco-friendly.
Their wide range of linen clothing includes shirts, dresses, and jackets. Their breathable linen fabric and modern designs make this a great ethical fashion brand for minimalists.
Malaika New York’s Linen Vests & Tops
Malaika New York is an ethical fashion brand that focuses on zero waste design and seasonless style. Their eco-friendly clothing is ethically made in partnership with a Turkish factory focused on sustainable production, fair wages, and safe working conditions.
On top of zero waste design practices, Malaika New York uses sustainable materials such as GOTS or OEKO certificated cottons, linen, deadstock fabric, ECONYL, and RWS certified wool.
Malaika New York’s linen clothing currently features unique linen vests and the Triangle Sheer Black Top. These are great linen options for sustainable stylists who love a bit of edge!
Plus, sustainable shoppers can use the discount code MHonest15 for 15% off their purchase.
Lovanie’s Linen Clothes for Petites
Lovanie is a sustainable fashion brand based in Seattle, WA. Lovanie creates clothing for petite women. Garments are ethically made in small batches in Seattle using 100% linen, cotton, and deadstock fabrics. Lovanie's made to order clothing offers dresses, skirts, and tops.
Use THEHONESTCONSUMER for 10% off your first purchase. I was recently gifted the Lily Dress which I’ve been loving. This dress features pockets and a flowy fit perfect for summer.
Sustain by Kat’s Plant Dyed Linen Clothes
Sustain by Kat uses natural fibers including linen and organic cotton to create high quality basics.
Each plant-dyed piece from Sustain by Kat is meticulously dyed with brilliant plant dyes from across the world, known for their ability to make beautiful, long-lasting colors. No harmful chemicals here.
Discover brightly colored blues and purples in shirts, scarves, and more. Sustain by Kat’s clothing is ethically made in India and the USA.
LA Relaxed Linen Clothing Made in America
LA Relaxed uses sustainable natural fibers including linen and organic cotton to craft high quality clothing. All of their clothing is made in their own factory in Los Angeles and they pay garment workers a livable wage and have healthy work conditions.
This ethical brand aims to minimize waste in the production process by making in small batches, reducing fabric consumption, and using leftover fabric for other goods.
Love & Confuse: Comfortable linen style
Love & Confuse is a family-owned business aims to make clothing that is comfortable, stylish, and above all timeless.
Jumpsuits, wrap dresses, blouses, and crop tops are some of the gorgeous pieces on offer. These are made using 100% natural linens and are shipped in packaging made from recycled materials.
MagicLinen: Linen Clothing for Men & Women
MagicLinen is a family business successfully started in Europe. Magic Linen features linen clothing for men and women, along with linen accessories, home goods, and tote bags. All their products are OEKO-TEX-certified and their packaging can be composted or reused.
Eileen Fisher’s Linen Clothing for women
For a comfortable yet classy look, Eileen Fisher offers a wide range of clothing made from responsible fibers, including organic linen t-shirts, collar shirts, and tunics. Their linen is grown in rotation with food crops, made without pesticides, and dyed without hazardous chemicals, ensuring healthy soil and clean water.
It also means workers are not exposed to hazardous chemicals. Eileen Fisher is bluesign-certified and also takes back old clothing for resale or reuse, driving a circular economy that minimizes waste.
Not Perfect Linen: Casual style
Offering simplicity and style, Not Perfect Linen believes in a clean, casual look that keeps you both comfortable and looking good.
Their clothing is made from OEKO-TEX-certified linen and ensures simplicity, comfort, and waste reduction by minimizing non-essentials such as zips and intricate cuts.
Two Days Off: natural fiber fashion
Based in Los Angeles, Two Days Off was founded by geologist and earth scientist, Gina Stovall. Her ethically cut, long-lasting designs are made from biodegradable and natural fibers, like linen.
Two Days Off is Climate Neutral-certified; their shipping is plastic-free; and the packaging is reusable, 100% recyclable, and biodegradable. Their linen dresses and shirts are a great option for any woman looking to add some linen clothing to her wardrobe.
Mary Claret: Linen clothing made in america
Handmade in the USA, Mary Claret was founded by Andie Day whose background lies in styling and costume design for films. She’s created a line of clothing made from 100% linen that’s tailored to be comfortable and stylish and is designed to last. Shop linen pants, linen sets for sleeping, linen skirts, and other linen garments.
When shopping sustainably linen is a good option. The key is to find the best quality and ethics when it comes to choosing a label so that you do good while looking good. Hopefully this guide helped you learn some of the benefits of linen clothing, why it is considered a sustainable fabric, and discover some incredible brands worth shopping.
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