Linen

Pros: very strong, cool to the touch, absorbs moisture fast and dries fast, so it is comfortable in the heat. It gets softer with every wash.

Cons: it creases a lot and can shrink, especially at the first wash. New linen can feel a little stiff.

Shirting linen: fine and light, for shirts, dresses and blouses. Suiting linen: denser, for trousers, jackets and skirts.

Unbleached linen has a natural grey-beige colour, bleached and dyed linen comes in any colour.

Half linen is linen with cotton: softer and less prone to creasing. Linen with viscose is more fluid, with elastane it gives a little.

At 1.4 to 1.5 m wide: a shirt 1.5 to 2 m, a dress 2 to 3 m, trousers 1.2 to 1.5 m, a skirt 0.7 to 1.5 m, a suit 3 to 3.5 m.

As linen shrinks, allow 5 to 10 % extra. For a closer count for your style see the articles on shirts, dresses and trousers.

Before cutting, always wash and dry the linen, ideally at the same temperature as the finished garment.

Wash at 40 °C, white linen hotter, colours separately. Iron slightly damp on a high setting, dark linen inside out so it does not shine. Linen creases are seen as part of its character rather than a flaw.