Stay Cool with Natural Fibres – Caring for Linen, Ramie and Hemp

Linen has become synonymous with warm weather. This natural fabric helps you beat the heat and stay comfortable. But did you know ramie and hemp share linen's cooling qualities? Linen, ramie and hemp are all bast fibres, meaning they are produced from the inner bark of a variety of plants. Here's some more information about these fibres, as well as instructions on how to care for your linen, ramie and hemp garments this spring and summer.

Linen

Linen is made of flax fibre (from the plant's stem) and is remarkably strong, durable and functional. It is available in many different weights and weaves; sturdy or fine construction. Linen resists deterioration from sunlight and abrasion and softens as it ages. This fabric feels cool and comfortable in hot weather, dries quickly and doesn't lint — even though it can wrinkle readily.

Ramie

The fibres of an East Asian plant are woven into this surprisingly strong fabric. Ramie is very similar to linen — in fact, it is often mistaken for it. While it's twice as strong as flax, ramie is more brittle. Therefore, you'll often find it blended with cotton, rayon, nylon and polyester to increase flexibility. Ramie is lustrous, extremely absorbent, resistant to heat and dries quickly. Unlike linen, ramie also has a resistance to bacteria and molds.

Hemp

Hemp fabric is made of fibre from the hemp plant — but not the one you may be thinking of. The hemp plant used to make fabric is of a different strain than the marijuana plant. Hemp fabric is like linen in appearance; it is also strong, long-lasting and functional. Due to the highly porous nature of the fibre, hemp withstands water better than any other textile, allowing it to dry extremely quickly and making it cool and comfortable in hot weather.

Fabric Care Guidelines

Follow these guidelines to care for garments made of bast fibers. Always consult the laundry care symbols on the label first.

• Avoid creasing clothing made of linen, ramie or hemp in the same places repeatedly — the fabric will eventually weaken at that crease point.
• When choosing coloured linen, ramie or hemp clothing, look for a label that says "colourfast" or "vat dyed" for better colorfastness. 
• If your linen or ramie garment is machine washable, use a shorter or gentler agitation cycle and air dry. 
• Hemp can be considered a machine-washable linen. Machine wash with a mild detergent like Ivory Snow® in warm or cool water. Tumble dry low or line dry.  
  These fabrics soften as they age, but you can speed up the process by adding Ultra Downy Liquid to the rinse cycle.  
• For washable, delicate linen or ramie, hand wash with Ivory Snow, rinse thoroughly and dry flat. Pay special attention to re-shape the item appropriately.  
• If you need to remove a stain from any of these fibres, soak the item in cool water with Ivory Snow before washing. Don't rub the spot. Ramie, especially, is susceptible to color loss from abrasion.
• Never use bleach. It can weaken the natural fibres.
• Iron linen, ramie or hemp garments while they are still damp on medium or high heat.
  

So now that you know more about fabrics made from bast fibres and how to care for linen, ramie and hemp, include them in your warm weather wardrobe and stay cool!