What Does Linen Feel Like? (Avoid Itchy, Rough, Cool Feel)
When you get comfortable shoes, slacks, dresses, and more on your body you can accomplish just about anything. Having comfortable clothes do make the difference so choose the fabrics you wear with care. Avoid the itchy rough feel as much as possible.
What does linen feel like? A lot will depend on the quality and type of linen you wear. The good thing about this fabric is that it gets softer every time you wash it. But if you do not want that soft feeling then send your linens out to be dry cleaned.
To learn all about the feel of linen just continue to read our article. Linen shares a lot of the same properties as cotton does. Although it may not share that soft to the touch nature cotton possesses.
Linen Feel 101
What do Linen Sheets Feel Like?
Depending on their quality, once you slip in between linen sheets you may feel like you are staying at a 5-star hotel. Their feel can be very luxurious. Because of their hypoallergenic characteristics, the sheets can feel very comfortable for people with allergies, etc.
Then they can feel dry, cool, and fresh because linen sheets can absorb 20% more moisture before feeling wet and sticky. On top of that these sheets come with a distinguished texture giving them a unique feel.
That texture softens over time and many washings. Finally, linen sheets feel comfortable as they repel dirt and keep your skin clean as well as healthy. There are no exact words to describe how linen sheets feel as there are so many different types of sheets as well as degrees of softness.
You would have to tr a top quality pair of linen sheets to experience them for yourself.
Why Does Linen Feel Itchy?
Some linens feel itchy but not all. The lesser quality, like the kind you may find in the military, will feel itchy because they may not be blended with cotton and made from very low-quality linen fabric.
Cotton is used often to soften linen up but sometimes even that aid doe snot remove some of the itchy feeling you get when you buy a linen clothing item or bedding. Better quality linen, one that is not blended, is said to be not itchy but quite good.
It feels great next to your skin and helps you relax as you sleep or go about your day. Also, new linens are not broken in yet so the fabric already comes with a stiff uncomfortable feel to it. It will take time to wash some softness into the fabric.
If you are patient then you will be well rewarded with comfort when you wear linen clothing items.
How To Make Linen Less Itchy
We have already talked about two main ways to get linens nice and soft. The first is to wash the fabric a few times and let the water and other products bring some softness to the fabric.
The next way to soften linen is to blend it with cotton. This is one soft fabric and its characteristics help linen achieve the softness level you like. A third way to soften linen is to buy a better quality product. The better linens, and more expensive ones, already have the itchiness removed for you.
If those options do not work for you, you can try fabric softeners but they may not produce the results you want. Instead, go natural and use about 1/2 cup of baking soda or 1 cup of vinegar in your wash cycle.
Another natural option wold be dryer balls. The extra friction in the dryer may help soften those linens you can dry in a machine. Finally, you can try ironing with a pressing cloth to soften your linen clothing or bedding.
You can iron the linens whether they need it or not just to make sure your body remains comfortable wherever you use that fabric.
Why Does Linen Feel Rough?
This is because of the manufacturing process. Some linens are given an uneven polygonal shape which does not allow the fabric to lie flat. But just because it does not look flat and smooth does not mean it can’t do its job.
The rough look helps the fabric keep you very cool on very hot days. In fact, that look should keep you cooler than any other fabric you can choose to wear. Rough looking linen may not be good for a job interview but it works great at other times.
There is some good news about this as well. Not all linen shirts look rough when new. If you can afford the cost it might be worth your while to purchase a better quality linen clothing item and wear that. The inferior fabrics may save you money but it takes time to soften them up and have them looking like you want.
How To Make Linen Less Scratchy
One way, and if the temperatures allow, is to put on a nice undershirt. Not only will your skin not feel the scratchy fabric, but the undershirt will also help prevent any perspiration stains.
Or you can put a nice lining on the inside of the jacket or dress to keep the rough material at bay. Then there are some of the methods mentioned earlier. You can try fabric softener but the chemical and fragrant residue may not be to your liking or good for your health.
A cup of vinegar or 1/2 cup of baking soda should help stop that scratchy feeling. Put one or the other in your wash cycle and nature take its course. Then just washing the linens a few times should make the fabric smoother and softer to the touch.
There are a lot of options you can choose from that will help remove that scratchy feeling when you wear new linens.
Why Does Linen Feel Cool?
Most likely because it is woven in such a way that it releases heat very quickly. The fabric can absorb a lot of humidity and heat when it is hot outside, keeping it from your body. Then the weave style helps the fabric release that heat away from you.
On top of that its anti-static nature makes sure the fabric does not cling to your body. With your clothes away from you the air circulates better making sure the heat does not stay.
Another reason is that linen can absorb up to 20% of its weight before feeling wet. That means any hot moisture is kept from your body for quite some time. This ability gives linen a pleasant and cool feel to it.
Finally, linen is considered a very breathable fabric. That attribute makes sure the fabric and you feel cool for a long time.
How To Make Linen Feel Softer
This process starts with buying a better quality fabric. The better the quality, the better the softness. Also, if the fabric was made from top-grade flax then it stands a good chance of being soft the moment you buy it.
There are also natural and chemical fabric softeners that will lend a hand to soften the fabric. Which one you use will depend on your feelings about either option. Natural is always the best way to go as it protects your material better.
If you don’t care to use either softener style, then just simply washing the fabric in the right temperature will do the trick. Just watch out for any shrinking that may take place when you wash the material.
What Does Faux Linen Feel Like?
Generally, these fabrics will have a very soft feel to them as they are often blends. The most common fabric blended with linen is cotton and you know how soft that material can be.
Those blends are saving you a lot of work as you do not have to take the time or add the chemicals to make the fabric softer. They should always be soft to the touch and not scratch your body while you wear the materials.
If you are buying the fabric to sew with, make sure to pre-wash faux linen. It may shrink on you if you are not careful. The faux linens are made to be better to use and should resist a lot of staining, making them easier to wash.
Check the cleaning labels to make sure you wash the products correctly and protect them from anything that may harm its texture and feel. The fabric should be softer than natural linen when new.
What Does Belgian Flax Linen Feel Like?
This may be the ultimate level of linen. It is made from European flax grown only in Europe and special care is taken in its production. The techniques used have been around for centuries if not longer.
Once completed Belgian sheets are very soft to the touch and should give you the feel of luxury when you place the sheets over your body. The Belgian linens are treated with utmost care throughout the manufacturing process and can receive the Master Class label which signifies that it is the top of the linen chain.
This perfection doe snot sacrifice any of the breathability of the material nor the cool comfort linen is known for. Instead, it may raise those qualities up to peak performance.
In other words, words may not be able to describe how good this fabric feels when you put it on your bed and go to sleep.
How Does Linen Paper Feel?
You may not think so given that the term ‘paper’ is included in the description. Yet, linen paper seems to have a very good feel to it that rivals other top quality linens you have used in the past.
There is a fine texture quality to the fabric that upgrades tablecloths and impresses your friends. Also, when linen is added to writing paper, you are at the pinnacle of paper products. Its feel is luxurious and you may think you are royalty when you use it.
Linen paper also comes with a classy, elegant look that will stand up to other paper options and make them look ragged. You may also feel the durability in linen paper. It's not going to wilt at the first sign of hard work or moisture.
There are great paper types out there but you won’t regret using linen paper at all.
How To Tell The Difference Between Cotton and Linen
One quick and easy way to tell if you have a linen cloth or a cotton one is to do a burn test. Cotton ignites very quickly while linen takes its time before lighting up. Next, you can tell by the weight as linen is lighter than cotton.
Try tearing a scrap piece of both and you will see that linen is about 2 times as strong as cotton is. Despite that strength, linen wrinkles easier than cotton does. In addition to that, linen fibers can break if pressed too hard.
Once you feel cotton your hand you will see that the fabric has a fluffy and warm feel about it. On the other hand, the linen feels flowing and smooth. They say that linen is smoother than cotton.
Finally, linen may feel cooler than cotton will due to its better absorption factor. If you are trying to find the difference between linen canvas and cotton canvas, the former is more durable than the latter and doesn’t decay as cotton canvas will.
Some Final Words
Linen can feel rough to the touch when it is new. But that roughness doe snot last. Repeated washing will soften the fabric and make it great to wear. Plus, with its breathability, linen should feel cool.
With its anti-static quality your dress or shirt, etc. Should not cling to you on those hot days or nights especially when you use linen sheets to cover your bed.
