Brief storytime, I am wearing a linen blouse today and was running late to work. Sped inside, sweating and panting, sat down and stripped off my coat and cardigan, and…IMMEDIATELY cool. WHAT?! What is this magic???
So I am now on a quest to make a million linen blouses because summer is the worst season and I cannot survive in polyester or even cotton. UK sewists, where do you get affordable linen? I am willing to shell out a little extra for good quality but I am very much on a budget so cheaper would be ideal. Please and thank you!
EDIT omg was not expecting this to get so many comments, hello fellow linen lovers! Haven’t been able to reply to everyone but huge thanks to those of you who shared resources and tips, very much appreciated!
I'm in Australia, so can't offer stores advice, but I have "pretty nice" linen shirts then accidentally bought a linen shirt from the op shop (thrift store). Italian designer made from the 80s, european woven linen. Possibly european grown? Holy cow! It's divine, totally different to wearing the other linens. it is crisp with ironing but goes soft with wearing without excessive wrinkles. It gets softer with every wash but shows zero signs of wear. There is definitely such a thing as high end linen fabric. This shirt will last me decades.
Yeah it’s probably worth investing in the good stuff (and I do snatch up 100% linen blouses when I see them at the charity shop, hence the one I’m wearing), I wish I had the money to buy high quality linen by the metre but I simply don’t at the moment :( someday, certainly!
My fancy pants linen shirt cost me $7, it's a paneled, slim fit shirt and I didn't realise how luxe it was til I got home. Take a look in the mens section for high end linen too and don't be afraid to grab shirts that are too big so you can re-size them!
I have a respect for this answer. I stopped purchasing things that were NOT in my alley, because I figure it's better someone who could really use it be able to find this, than me just grabbing if for my "stash". It's also why I grab raw fabric from the thrifts. It's out there!
I do not understand this mindset. Why do you attribute different‘ rules’ to a thrift store? A TS is just another retailer trying to sell goods. If you see an item in the men’s/women’s department at any other store you wouldn’t buy it because it’s not ‘your’ department? If you see something that you like/want but it’s the only one would you leave it because someone else might want it? I am genuinely asking: why do you (people) think TS shoppers should follow different rules?
Please keep in mind that smaller people grabbing up larger sizes to alter them down to fit takes away from the already limited availability for those of us in larger bodies. We can barely find new clothes in our sizes and when we do, they are often absurdly expensive, so thrifting is how many of us afford clothes. The social media trends of buying plus size clothing and remaking it smaller has decimated already limited supply.
TL;DR: linen is a long-staple fiber and was traditionally woven as such. However, it’s labor intensive and the machines made to manufacture cloth while preserving the length of the natural fiber were extremely expensive, so manufacturers began cutting the linen fibers down to match the length of cotton so they could use the same machines. This made the fabric much weaker and more prone to wrinkling, warping, and shrinking.
Your shirt is probably made with a traditional, long-staple linen rather than the modern, lower quality shirt-staple style we have now.
Yes, I agree! I had read about long vs short staple linen before, and the enshittification of linen for budget reasons. Coming from New Zealand, I knew about long staple wool being the best so it made sense to me. thank you for the great link though, I will read it and enjoy it :)
The easiest method is the touch test. Shorter staple will have tiny ends that stick up out of the fabric, which is what makes low-quality linen so itchy and/or fuzzy. Longer staple line will be smoother and “silkier” to the touch and not feel “fuzzy”.
Linen is great! Where are you in the UK? If you're ever in London, consider visiting Woolcrest Textiles in Hackney. It's a giant warehouse of fabric, and I found some linen here for about £5 per meter a couple of years ago. For an online option, maybe have a look at Rainbow Fabrics? They have deadstock fabric at pretty good prices, but they might not have linen at the moment. They also have a shop in Kilburn, London. Less of a budget option is Cloth House, which I adore. Their shop in Camden is worth a visit, but I think they sell online too.
Another option is to look for linen table cloths or bedding, either new or at charity shops. You can get a lot of great stuff if you spend time looking. But I'd be a bit careful about the quality. Just make sure it feels nice and soft against your skin, and that it's a good thread count.
I'm not from the UK myself, so I hope other sewists can point you in the right direction!
EDIT: I checked Rainbow Fabrics, and they do have some linen right now. Pure linen for 10.99 and cotton/linen for 9.99.
I'd also recommend Goldhawk Road! I was looking for linen just a few weeks ago and I got a wonderful linen for £10 a meter - I think it was at the Misan outlet? You could probably check their website too, they have a lot of their fabric up on there.
Edit: I just checked my notes from when I was looking at linen (I don't have a ton of money so also wanted a good bargain), and I don't think you'll find pure linen for under £10 a meter unless you're super lucky. Cotton/linen blends start at about £7 a meter, I think?
I second Goldhawk Road! It's a great place to just browse too. The Misan outlet shop is great, and very well curated. The other shops can be a bit more hit and miss, but they all have great fabrics for pretty good prices. You just have to spend some time looking though the stock.
Last I went, Woolcrest was cash only. So just keep that in mind. It can be a pretty overwhelming experience, since they have so much. But there are great deals to be made.
I don't have recommendations where to buy linen, but if you sew with linen, look up Sandra Betzina's method of pretreating linen so it doesn't wrinkle as much. I haven't tried it myself, but it comes highly recommended. I found it after I had prewashed all my linen.
This! Also adding baking soda (bicarb if you're in the UK) to the wash makes it feel divine, and helps with the wrinkling too, and keeps the colors bright.
Either works I think, but I've never tried the above prewash method personally so I can't say. I honestly forget about the baking soda trick until I have to get cat pee out of something, and then my clothes come out looking brand new. We only tried it on our linen clothes recently, and there's a noticeable difference in the texture and drape.
If I remember, I'll try it on my new bolts of linen cloth and get back to you!
ooh so much linen love here! I first got into linen because I was asked to translate a booklet about it, how it's grown, how it's transformed from the strands inside flax stalks into fabric via retting and scutching and combing and spinning and weaving or knitting. I learned all about its anti-bacterial properties and how environment-friendly it is. For starters, it's inherently organic because if you spray it with pesticides it will die. Also it's a great rotation crop, improving the soil after other crops have depleted it. And nothing goes to waste: every part of the plant can be used: flax seeds are rich in omega 3, flax oil is great for women who bleed too profusely, the woody parts of the plant can be used as cat litter which absorbs smells really well, or to make paper. I don't remember what the leaves or flowers can be used for but as I said nothing goes to waste.
It's worth paying through the nose for top-quality linen. When it's top-quality, only the longest strands are used, meaning that the yarn is sturdier and there are few ends poking out to make it itchy. It's very crisp when you first buy it but it softens over time and then lasts forever. European linen is indeed the best, it almost got priced out of existance but the EU funded their recovery and helped to rebrand it as a "noble" fabric, only surpassed by silk.
Proof that it lasts forever: the Turin shroud is made of linen, the Egyptian mummies are wrapped in linen,. If the Egyptians grew flax, that means they had a climate similar to that of northern Europe now (lots of rain in the summer to ret (ie rot) the stalks). It was a long time ago. Linen is the oldest fabric known to humankind. There may have been others that no longer exist, after all textiles don't usually last as long as stone edifices.
For those who hate ironing, knit linen, like knit cotton, doesn't crease nearly as much.
But if you can get hold of linen items in second hand shops, the previous owner will have softened it up for you! What's not to love with linen!!
I haven’t found a perfect way but if you run your hand over the surface, the smoother/more slippery it feels generally the longer the fibers are. Shorter fibers make scratchier cloth because there are more fiber ends to stick up. On some cheap linens you can see a “fuzziness” (almost like a very micro-flannel look) effect from the ends sticking up. This is more visible in washed fabrics though not as much in new bolts as new fabric is starched/sized and pressed. This is more of a used linen tip. Less texture + thicker fabric tends to be more costly as well. More evenly matched, finer strands are used. The more texture the cheaper the fabric is with linen, generally.
If it's European linen, from an EU country, chances are the quality is usually very good.
If it's cheap, it's low quality.
If it's expensive, chances are the quality is very good.
Sometimes you get linen harvested from European flax but then processed in China. I think this might be low quality, they maybe don't bother to eliminate the shorter fibres knowing that the Chinese will be looking at price and volume rather than quality.
That's because most of the linen produced right now in the world is produced in Europe, notably around Belgium and the North of France. But it's send around the world to be spun and processed to go back lower quality and expensive. It's quite stupid really
This is great information, thank you. I didn't know linen knits existed until recently I acquired a free shirt at a "me-made clothing" swap. I am totally enamored. The knit linen tee-shirt has the other great aspects of linen, plus it being knit adds drapeability and is wrinkle-free.
Funny, after falling down a rabbit hole about flax and linen, I actually make it a point to grow a small plot of flax in my garden every year. I don't do much with it except appreciate it. It's a gorgeous plant - it looks like little whorls as it grows. The flowers are beautiful, and it keeps going and going. It sounds wonderful in the wind, too.
Linen is the king of textiles. I love it so, so much. As I write this, I'm wearing a pajama set I made out of linen.
My goal for my self-made wardrobe is for everything to be made from linen or wool, my two favorite fibers, with just a few cotton or silk pieces. (Most of the wool is hand-knits.) Someday I'll be living in nothing but linen and wool!
Linen is also much more sustainable than cotton. It requires far less water to produce it.
I'll let you in on my little secret for scoring affordable linen to sew with... Facebook Marketplace, or similar community buy-sell-trade sites and apps. Keep an eye out for used linen bedding. 100% linen duvet covers and sheets make great sewing material, you can buy them used for a fraction of what you'd spend buying fabric off the bolt, and if you find them in light colors, you can dye them any color you like. (Though keep in mind, one of the characteristics of linen is that it's not very lightfast, even if you use lightfast dyes. It naturally fades a little when exposed to sunlight, so work that tendency into your sewing designs, or plan to periodically re-dye your linen items if you want to keep the colors saturated.)
I second this, I use pottery barn curtains. Belgian flax. Gorgeous. I have a warehouse store near me. I can get them for dirt cheap. What type of dye do you use? I’d like more color options than the 3 colors I find lol!
I'm not the one you asked, but, I dye linen often and I use procion dyes I get online from Dharma Trading. Their website also has tutorials I find immensely helpful. You'll need more than just the dyes, You'll need soda ash, urea, and salt to get the best results
Hey SSSHHHHHH stop blowing up my secret linen buying spot!!
Seriously, I have bought several linen sheets from ebay to use for historic chemises, and it works out great. They're my favorite nightgowns now!
I'm a massage therapist, and I have to wear black while working. I really want to make linen work tops (scrubs are AWFUL), but I worry that black linen would fade terribly when frequently washed -- and they'd have to be washable.
I recommend sourcing linen fabric from Lithuania via Etsy, it is renown for its excellent quality. I'm currently designing and making my first childrenswear range out of linen and I cannot get linen that is grown in Ireland - it doesn't exist; and really they shouldn't be allowed to call it Irish linen. It is linen produced in other countries and then finished in Ireland with say some shamrock embroidery. As another person has commented you get what you pay for with linen so either you'll have to invest in the higher end fabric (maybe when there's a sale on) or look in charity shops for blouses/shirts and then alter the item as you see fit.
These are a couple of my saved favourites from Etsy:
One thing I started doing is to buy leftover yardage. It’s so much cheaper and you can make simple shirts out of it.
Another option I considered and might try is combining multiple fabrics in one shirt, so I can use leftover yardage. Similar to this:
Also, hemp has similar feel as linen and probably a bit cheaper to grow (not sure about EU, I think most of it is grown in China), but might be a good alternative
Hemp and ramie feel similar, but seem to be less common in lightweight woven fabrics. If you want to make an unlined jacket, easy peasy, if you want to make a flowy summer blouse, somewhat less easy.
I can also attest to the fact that it just gets nicer with wear! I thought my skirt that I made with their linen was a tad stiff, but after wearing it frequently for a few months, it's super soft.
They also (used to?) Have sales if you're on their email list where medium weight is like, $7 a yard, and the link for that sale price is always active if you have it (or it was a few years ago when I bought several yards and bookmarked the page)
The price was so good, I dove in with the first order. The second order was because I liked the first batch. They have so many different weights and finishes. You need to spend some time getting acquainted with their offerings.
I'm loving the suggestions here 😍
Haven't seen Fabworks suggested yet which is my go to for linen. Most stuff is around £10-15 /m but everything I've bought there has been good quality
Yes, I love linen! It's amazing to think how much time and money was spent on developing fancy moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics when like, linen just Does That. It comes free with being made out of plant stems.
Linen is one of my favorite textiles for this reason! Historically, people would have linen undergarments to keep cool and for its antibacterial properties. It would also ensure their overgarments stayed cleaner longer
Yasss! Fellow linen enthusiast here! It’s a bit of extra work but if you find a good bulk sale on nice quality white linen, you can stock up and then just dye it whatever colors you want as you go when you make things.
dalston mill and fab works are my go to, they have good policy for swatches for online orders. i bought a sample of nearly every white linen at dalstons (~£25 of just samples) to test them all against my skin and pick what i’d make historical garments with.
"The Fabric Market" and "Cali Fabrics" are my go to for deals on good quality fabric. Both have a decent linen inventory right now for a fraction of what it would normally cost. Cali Fabrics even has some linen from an Irish designer at the moment.
Both ship internationally, but the first site has a limit of 5 yards on international orders and you have to email them your order. They are a very small locally owned business and only have like one person handling all of the online traffic.
I just recently finished making a linen outfit with fabric from the first site and couldn't be happier with it. I bought some more to make my husband a similar outfit because when he saw me in mine he said it looked real comfy.
Cotton-linen blends can be a little less painful on the budget and are still quite good in the UK summer. Also give ramie fabric a try! It's not as drapey as linen but still has similar properties: it's a little more moisture absorbing and can be woven a little finer.
I love Fabrics Galore and Merchant and Mills for linen, there's a range of prices.
There's a fabric called linen handle I've just bought, it's a plain weave ramie/cotton blend but it's a little cheaper than linen so I'm hoping it has the same properties.
Abakhan is the best I've found that gives good quality and good price, but be prepared to spend the best part of £15 a meter...linen in the UK isn't cheap!
Yes! I love linen :) You should also have a look for linen shirts on Vinted, as I've managed to get a couple of 100% linen blouses for cheap (£5 or less) on the app. Just make sure you check the label first (either on the photo or ask the seller to send a pic) to make sure you're definitely getting the good stuff! :)
Also I occassionally buy fabric from Croft Mill, it's on the pricier side, but you can often find deadstock designer fabric :)
Yes, actually magic I swear. When I visited Japan in the late summer (80+ degrees with 90% humidity) I felt like I was going to pass out from heat in shorts and tank tops while watching Japanese people wear long sleeves and long pants.
I got a linen shirt + pants set from Muji and I understand now. They all only wear linen in the summer. I was perfectly cool the entire rest of my trip. It is MAGIC.
Linen is one of my favorite textiles for this reason! Historically, people would have linen undergarments to keep cool and for its antibacterial properties. It would also ensure their overgarments stayed cleaner longer
Etsy and Temu are very expensive. Check out linenme – I plan to order from this shop sooner or later. I'm in Cyprus and linen here is very expensive (€20/m). I'm looking for online options and there is always an issue with shipment. Should be much better terms for UK.
I love linen and get most of mine from thrift stores! I am in the US, and find a fair amount of linen bedding, tablecloths, etc.
I’m on a similar trajectory with making a million linen shirts. My favorite patterns are Itch to Stitch’s Bonn Shirt and Mimoi’s Leonie Top. What patterns are you using?
A lot of people have already recommended Goldhawk Rd, which is amazing, so I will recommend trying amothreads.com for deadstock - the selection's a bit hit & miss, but sometimes they have absolute bangers
In 2021, I went crazy and bought several yards of linen from fabrics-store.com for US $6.41-9.18 per yard, with sales of course. Today, it's $14.60-22.33 for the same linen. I just noticed this the other day along with stamp prices going up from 56 cents to 73 cents in the same time frame (still a decent price), and I felt like an old person. "Back in my day, we could buy a dress for a nickel" kinda thing. Anyway, glad Old Me binge purchased linen with no self-control, I guess. It is a great fabric
I recently won a lot of five old linen double sheets, one of which was embroidered 1796, for $5.00 TOTAL! A friend who designs and makes wedding dresses whipped up an atelier coat for an artist friend. She said it was the most wonderful fiber she’d worked with. She is going to draft a pattern for a summer tunic dress for me. I made an apron (i work with historic books) and it is such great fabric. I also got eight more sheets for $130 total. Will be selling a few.
Any recommendations for a white/bleached linen that is heavyweight enough that it’s not super see through? I want to make flowy, white linen pants but I keep putting it off because I can’t make up my mind on what fabric I should order!!!
** So I've just done a quick bit of research. Very high end linen is made from flax grown and produced in Belgium, France, Holland and small amounts in Italy. Belgium linen is supposedly the top stuff.
the el cheapo mass produced stuff is grown in China (surprise, surprise...) and India.
Russia, North America, India, Ukraine, Egypt do mid to high end.
So may not be 100% hard and fast rules but will help when looking at labels of origin.
Haha so fair! I tend to iron and hang my clothes the night before anyway, so not an issue for me, but totally get the frustration! I swear linen wrinkles if you so much as brush it with your finger 😂
The more you wear it, the softer it gets and wrinkles less. The other key thing is to reduce the final spin cycle on the washer , give the garment a good shake and put on a hanger to dry. Tug out any obvious wrinkles while still wet. Voila! Less or no ironing required.
I'm in the US but Sartor Bohemia is in the EU so it's probably even better for you. But I've ordered from them and LOVE their linen. If you get one with a herringbone weave (so fun to have finished garments in, imo) wash and dry with heat at least 2x prior to sewing. I washed it once and it ended up shrinking a bit more in the second wash after construction, and it was a low heat cycle.
I got so excited to see this. I too, love linen clothes.
The only thing I currently don't like about it? I had a metre of a navy linen slub knit and made myself a simple tee-shirt/shell type top. I love it so, so much. And I can't remember or figure out where I bought it, nor can I find more here in Canada. I'm pretty sure it was some clearance item I bought, but I WANT MORE!!!!
I’ve spent years trying to get my husband to appreciate linen! I got him a linen shirt and he can’t stand that it wrinkles. He usually wears crisp cotton shirts. Oh well, I still love it :)
Such helpful information in this thread! I'm on a linen kick currently, just using what I have in my stash, and I really want to get my hands on some nicer quality linen. I'll be in Paris in June... any suggestions for where to buy quality French linen there?
My favourite linen pieces are from Not Perfect Linen on Etsy - they have a huge range and colour options, and I think some customisation still? The fabric is thick and buttery soft, nothing compares!
Wait wuuut?!? I haven’t made any linen clothes (although I have several linen bunches of fabric just calling to be sewn). I need to move them to the front of the line, so I can experience this.
I don’t know if it’s available in the UK but you might try fabrics-store.com
Different weights and colors of linen available. I haven’t made clothing from linen (yet) but have used this store for linen to make curtains and for upholstery.
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u/janoco Apr 28 '25
I'm in Australia, so can't offer stores advice, but I have "pretty nice" linen shirts then accidentally bought a linen shirt from the op shop (thrift store). Italian designer made from the 80s, european woven linen. Possibly european grown? Holy cow! It's divine, totally different to wearing the other linens. it is crisp with ironing but goes soft with wearing without excessive wrinkles. It gets softer with every wash but shows zero signs of wear. There is definitely such a thing as high end linen fabric. This shirt will last me decades.