Products made of linen are no throw-away items, but rather favourite pieces that will stay by your side for as many years as possible. Therefore, proper care should not be forgotten. After all, you want to be able to enjoy your well-kept, pretty linen bedding again and again in everyday life. We explain what is important when caring for high-quality linen and share some practical tips along the way.
Linen care guide: Correctly washing linen
Soft, cosy bed linen that smells of pure cleanliness to lie on after a long day – what could be better? As an utility item, it is a matter of course that bedding needs to be washed regularly. And linen items are no exception to this rule. If you are not quite sure how to wash your linen so that it survives the process without damage, you are far from being the only one. After all, linen is a material that most people hold in their hands or take out of the laundry basket less often than for example cotton. But we can reassure you: Washing linen properly is not tricky, it’s actually quite simple. The linen products you find at our shop do not have to be washed by hand, as you can quickly and easily clean them in the washing machine. Make sure that the maximum washing temperature of 40° is not exceeded and do not spin or choose a gentle spin setting – then basically nothing can go wrong.
Good to know: NPW linen products are prewashed
As a natural material made from flax fibre, linen fabric has a tendency to shrink during the first few washes. This is one of the reasons why the fabric used for Natural Product World products is already delivered to you pre-washed. Most of the shrinkage is already behind the material and you only have to expect minimal further reductions. In addition, the pre-wash ensures that the linen will not discolour in your machine.
Drying linen: Myths and misunderstandings
There are all too many misconceptions and false assumptions that persist on the subject of linen drying. We provide clarity and take a closer look at the three most common linen care myths:
#1 of the care myths: Linen can be put in the dryer without any problems
Please don’t! Although a single tumble drying will probably not seriously damage linen products, “artificial” drying is not good for the material at all. We therefore strongly recommend to air dry linen. This may take a little longer, but it preserves the quality of the material and prevents shrinkage.
#2 of the care myths: Linen dries best in the sun
Linen should ideally be left outside to dry, but should not be directly exposed to sunlight. At least this applies to dyed linen. Why is that? Quite simply, the sun can lighten the fabric unintentionally, creating uneven shading and unsightly stains in the worst case.
#3 of the care myths: Linen becomes warped when hung up
Yes and no. Linen reacts to tension and should therefore be pulled into shape after washing. However, most linen products are not heavy enough to warp enormously during normal hanging. We advise you not to fasten the linen with clothes pegs, but to hang it loosely over the clothes horse or on the rotary dryer and to move it once or twice during drying if necessary.
Should linen be ironed?
Whether you iron your linen bedding or not is ultimately up to you. If you decide to do so, ironing should take place while the fabric is still slightly damp. This way you avoid streaks and unnecessary wrinkles. If you decide not to iron your linen, but still want it to be completely smooth, you can alternatively hang it up in the bathroom before showering. The hot water steam has a straightening effect and declares war on wrinkles.
Linen care tipps: For your linen items to stay soft, intact and beautiful
Last but not least, we have a few linen care tips that we don’t want to withhold from you:
Preserve colour
To ensure that the colours of your linen bedding stay radiant, you should take one thing to heart: Do not use any detergent that contains bleach!
Prevent wrinkles
To nip wrinkles in the bud, we recommend taking linen out of the machine as soon as possible after the wash cycle, smoothing it out and hanging it up to dry. The longer the fabric stays in the washing machine, the more likely it is that stubborn creases will set in.
Optimal storage
If you do not use your bed linen immediately after drying, make sure you store it smooth and neatly folded in a dark, dry place – for example in a drawer.
Ready to care for your very own linen products?
Now that you know how easy it actually is to care for linen, you may be curious to discover lots of great linen products. In our shop you’ll find allergen-free, 100% natural linen bedding, decorative pillowcases and practical linen bags, to name a few examples. Enjoy browsing!
By the way: All of our products can be ordered in individual sizes. This is how we ensure that your new favourite linen piece fits your home and your life just perfectly. We are happy to fulfil your personal wishes and create natural linen bedding entirely according to your ideas. Click here to learn more about ordering custom linen dreams.
