Ancient Egyptians wrapped mummies in linen cloth. French courtiers dressed in fine linen in the 16th century. Linen textiles were a home staple well into the 18th century. The noble fiber, derived from the flax plant, exudes textile history and now finds itself a part of the global denim industry’s quest to produce natural fiber denim with inherent performance qualities.
Linen in denim has become a popular topic of discussion lately with clients, according to Intizar Ali, US Group’s general manager, research and business development.
After experiencing the heat waves that made 2023 the hottest year on record—and the affect it had on jeans sales—mills are preparing for another season of intense warmth by using natural fibers in their denim and focusing on lighter weights. Coupled with consumers’ unwavering demand for minimalist staples and elevated basics (a.k.a. the bread and butter of quiet luxury), linen denim is proving to have a runway of opportunities.
“Linen-infused denim is frequently used in summer fashion trends because of linen’s breathable and lightweight characteristics,” Ali said. “This fabric can elevate the comfort of denim apparel, rendering it well-suited for hot weather. Linen blends are frequently featured in designs such as wide-legged pants, shorts and airy jackets, providing a laid-back and fashionable appearance while ensuring the wearer stays cool.”
Lucky Brand is using 10 percent linen blends across its Spring 2024 range of men’s straight fit jeans and women’s ’90s midi and loose shorts. A linen and Tencel fabric give its popular palazzo jean a liquid-like drape. Levi’s offers the men’s 568 Stay Loose this season in a new lightweight cotton and linen denim. Mavi is incorporating recycled linen in its spring collection as well. The brand touts linen to consumers as a “low-impact natural flax fiber, which requires no additional irrigation to grow and is biodegradable, making it gentle on the skin.” Mavi blends it with Tencel for a softer texture.
Although linen is more costly than cotton, Selen Baltaci, marketing manager for Calik Denim, said that linen-preferred constructions are commercial because they appeal to summery fashion. The slub effect and open construction drape that linen adds to denim fabrics make it ideal for the loose-style shirts, relaxed jackets and wide-leg jeans that are in demand.
“Linen’s touch and self-slubbing appearance are its most distinctive features,” Baltaci said. The Turkish mill’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection includes 7-10 oz. fabrics made with 10-15 percent virgin linen.
Ali said linen is priced approximately 50 percent higher than other fibers thought it’s a “reflection of its premium quality and unique characteristics.” Mahafuzar Rahman, director of Chittagong Denim Mills Ltd. in Bangladesh, added that some special linen constructions are $8-$9 higher than cotton denim.
“The cost difference between linen and cotton is huge since the worldwide production of linen is far inferior to the production of cotton. It is for this reason that linen has always been classified in a high-range market,” said Giovanni Benelli, sales manager of Elasten, a family-owned Italian company that produces Élin, a patented technology for stretch linen and stretch hemp jute.
Elasten twists pure linen fiber around an elastic core with a very high number of torsions. Chittagong Denim features the technology in its denim collection.
“Linen’s origin is North Europe, where there is a perfect climate condition, but the area where it grows is very limited. Thus, production is not that big,” he added.
The Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp, which controls the European Flax and Masters of Linen certifications, wants demand to increase, however.
The agro-industrial organization recently launched a new plan to develop a BTB and BTC promotional strategy for European flax-linen in Italy to increase its visibility with the textile industry, brands and end consumers. The large amounts of Italian fabrics used by luxury brands and Italy’s track record of encouraging luxury groups to collaborate with and invest in local production presents opportunities for growth according to the alliance. Giusy Bettoni, founder of C.L.A.S.S. is heading up the initiative.
Added value
Despite the high cost, Berke Aydemir, head of R&D and technical sales at Naveena Denim Mills, said demand for linen denim from the EU and the U.S. is growing as brands and consumers realize they get a lot of bang for their buck. “Linen is a very versatile fiber and can be used in summer as shirting or loose fits, and in winter in bottoms,” he said.
Designers appreciate the fiber’s uneven appearance, while its natural luster gives fabrics a luxurious yet understated look, according to Tim Huesemann, director of Panther Denim and Tat Fung Textiles Co. He said the Chinese mill has seen a huge increase of demand for linen, adding that the major reason behind this may be the rising demand for sustainable fibers. “We exclusively utilize virgin linen in our product line, recognizing linen as an inherently sustainable fiber that requires minimal water for cultivation,” he said.
Thanks to the breathability feature of linen, Baltaci said the fiber can also be considered as a performance product. Add to it qualities like moisture wicking, quick dry, softness and strength—linen is three times stronger than cotton—and you have a hero ingredient that solves many of the denim industry’s wants and needs.
The fiber also blends well with other cellulosic ingredients. Cotton has proven to be the most compatible companion to linen, aiding in balancing the price and making linen blends more affordable, Huesemann said.
Tencel is another bedfellow. “Linen properties are different [but when it’s combined with] cotton and Tencel, it provides different aesthetics without compromising the product performance,” Aydemir said.
For Spring/Summer 2025, Naveena is using GRS-certified recycled linen made from pre-consumer waste. Aydemir said the fiber is eco-friendly as it requires no pesticide use. The Pakistani mill offers 9-13.5 oz. shirting and bottom fabrics and uses up to 30 percent linen in its fiber blends, though he pointed out that there are no limitations apart from cost. “Recycled linen is a little expensive compared to regular linen, cotton and viscose,” Aydemir said.
US Group’s assortment of virgin linen and recycled linen denim products span 10-13 oz, available in rigid and comfort stretch constructions. The Lahore, Pakistan-based mill offers constructions made with 18-50 percent linen and blends it with cotton, both in the warp and weft. Tencel blends are also available.
“Using linen in the warp results in a vintage slub look, whereas incorporating it in the weft generates a distinct loom chatter effect,” Ali said.
Chittagong Denim uses European linen in both the warp and weft of the fabric, generally in combination with cotton, Tencel and Lycra T400. The mill uses 8-60 percent linen in blends for 5-10 oz. fabrics. Rahman said fabrics can be with open end yarn, ring yarn, or ring/siro slub yarn in the warp, and come in indigo, blue-black, black and ecru.
There are some challenges with linen, however. Huesemann noted that, in terms of dyeing, it is not feasible to dye linen on an industrial scale using indigo dye. “This is why many linen denims incorporate linen content in the weft yarn,” he said.
The mill is also sensitive to how the recent surge in linen prices has made it considerably more expensive compared to other fibers. In response, Huesemann said Panther introduced a sustainable alternative made with Tencel and cotton with a linen-like aesthetic.
This article appears in Rivet’s spring issue. Click here to read more.