To iron or not to iron?

Flax linen has become one of the favorites of our time - a very stylish effect can now be extracted even from its “flaw”.

Today, wrinkled, creased or crushed linen is at the peak of popularity.

Interiors: a sketch in linen tones

Many of us are well aware of how difficult it is to iron an item made of linen even with the hottest of irons. And we also all remember how pleasant natural linen fabric is to the touch - it is difficult to deny yourself the pleasure of sleeping on natural linen bedding.

Therefore, most designers have created a compromise with everyday difficulties: lately, the texture of linen used is wrinkled.

Such texture is especially relevant for rustic or country style interiors. Linen fabric of natural colors is great for decorating the bedroom in Provence style, for interiors that call for natural shades and textures. Wrinkled linen is one of the essential attributes of an eco-minimalism bedroom or a Scandinavian minimalism one - white or gray linen fabric would be ideal for such interiors.

Wrinklage: two sides of the matter

Fabric crushability is the ability to form folds and creases during deformation, bending and compression of the material. All fabrics possess this natural property to a greater or lesser extent.

Does linen wrinkle and what does this mean to a user?

Pros:

• Wrinkles on linen are now perceived positively by the majority of consumers, as those demonstrate naturalness without anything added.

• Washing and ironing have a negative impact on fabrics’ ability to hold up. So, by not ironing, you prolong the life of your linen item.

Cons:

• Heavy linen fabric naturally doesn’t drape well - you won’t get rounded folds.

• Any wrinkled fabric is a subject to faster wear and tear, as the most intense abrasion occurs on the folds and wrinkles. But it should be said that it is not something that strong flax linen fabric is afraid of.

Wrinkle-free: the processing

Processing is often necessary to improve the appearance or to impart new qualities to the fabric. For example, to deposit the anti-flammable substances into the fabrics from which the firefighters’ uniforms are made. Due to the emergence of new technologies for processing flax fibers, manufacturers have thought of ways how to get wrinkles out and have successfully managed to head down the anti wrinkle path.

One of the most commonly used types of flax processing includes soaking of fabric in special starch-based solutions and synthetic resins. This is the oldest way of handling fabrics. With this method of processing, the fabrics become stiffer, shinier and don’t wrinkle as much. Such processing is very effective, as a result, the elasticity of the material increases and its ability to absorb moisture and (consequently) to shrink, decreases.

But at Varvara Home, we love flax fabric just the way it is, with its natural gentleness and even when it is far from straight and smooth. And therefore the fabrics we use have NO chemical finishing to them.