We love linen. The look is earthy and sensual, and it filters light beautifully. True linen should be made from flax fibers (as opposed to synthetic fibers, which is more commonplace nowadays) and can be a very eco-friendly fabric depending on how it's produced. Calvin Fabrics, a fabric company based out of Oregon, produces a line of eco linen that complies with the most up-to-date regulations for conservation, recycling and earth preservation...
Calvin Fabrics Eco Linen line is made entirely from the flax plant, and all parts of the plant are usable, recyclable or biodegradable. The flax is grown in Western Europe where no irrigation is needed as the local climate provides enough rain to sustain the crops. Any water they do use in the process is processed by a state-of-the-art biological water-recycling plant and released back into the environment. Any waste products produced are recycled into paper, insulation or materials for the auto industry. Available in 34 different colors and textures, Calvin Fabrics' Eco Linen is completely free of chemical residues. We received a few samples which we've photographed here so you can get a sense of the variety.
From left to right, top row to bottom row: #9035 Rex Linen in Oyster; #2780 Casement in Oyster; #8384 Bates Linen Texture in Natural; #9235 Hopsack Linen in Parchment; #6149 Linen in Natural; #10583 Celtic Linen in Oatmeal
Calvin Fabrics has showrooms around the US. To our knowledge, they currently aren't featuring the linen on their website, so a visit to their showroom for products and pricing might be in order. They're a great resource if you're looking for beautiful, high-quality and eco-friendly linen.
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Linen is always made of flax, so "should be made of flax" is not an accurate statement. If it's not flax, it's not linen. There are linen-type weaves made of synthetic fibers or blends of cotton, linen, ramie, rayon, or bamboo. But these are not linen.
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Spanky, you're totally right. That's actually what I meant to imply. There are other weaves out there that profess to be linen, but if it isn't made of flax, it's not real linen.
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http://www.linoto.com sells Belgian eco-linen sheets sourced from Libeco-Lagae fabric. It's made in the USA (in New York). The fabric quality and sewing is superb. Libeco is one of the oldest and most respected names in the European textile business. They have a strong commitment to producing linen in the most environmentally sustainable way possible. Calvin Fabrics appears to be producing a high-quality linen that is similar to Libeco in it's environmental approach. Generally, all linen (eco or non-eco ) is more environmentally friendly than cotton because flax crops don't require irrigation and require dramatically fewer pesticides. Linen is a 100% natural fiber made from the flax plant. Linen is NOT a type of weaving or knitting technique.
http://www.linoto.com/Linoto-com-Belgian-Eco-Linen-Sheets-p/eco-lst.htm
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