Linens, also referred to uncountably aslinen, are fabric household goods intended for daily use, such asbedding,tablecloths, andtowels. "Linens" may also refer to church linens, thealtar cloths used in church.
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The earliest known household linens were made from thin yarn spun fromflax fibres to makelinen cloth.Ancient Egypt,Babylon, andPhoenicia all cultivated flax crops. The earliest surviving fragments of linen cloth have been found in Egyptian tombs and date to 4000 BCE. Flax fibres have been found in cloth fragments in Europe that date to theNeolithic prehistoric age.[1]: 76
Cotton is another popular fibre for making the cloth used for household linens. Its use in cloth-making also dates back to prehistoric times, inIndian subcontinent,China,Peru andEgypt. The Indian subcontinent was well known for high quality cotton cloth as early as 1500 BCE.[1]: 66
Linen was a popular cloth during theMiddle Ages in Europe, cotton being an exotic import. It was used for undergarments such aschemises, shirts and blouses, and most clothing worn next to the skin by those able to afford an extra layer of clothing. The tradition of calling household fabric goods "linens" dates from this period,[1]: 76 but meant clothing as much as large sheets. In medieval tradition, a bride would often be given a gift of linens made by the women in her family as a wedding present to help her set up her new married home. In France this was called atrousseau, and was often presented to the bride in a woodenhope chest.
TheIndustrial Revolution drastically changed cloth manufacturing. The rise of European colonialism during the time supported the rapid growth of cloth production by creating many cheap sources of raw materials. British cloth manufacturers would import raw cotton from America andBritish West Indies. Yarn spun inIreland would be imported to England, where mechanized factories employed thousands of industrial weavers. In 1781, a cloth producer fromManchester testified about his business to a committee of the House of Commons in theBritish Parliament. He stated that he employed 6000 workers, who would print and stamp 60,000 yards of cotton and linen fabric a year.[2] Cotton gradually replaced linen for most uses in clothing, but linen remained preferable for bedsheets and tablecloths. Other European countries manufactured and traded their own types of household linens as well, and mass manufacturing techniques and trade competition gradually made affordable household linens common.
Today, the term "linen" is still used for bedsheets, tablecloths and similar household textiles even though most are made of cotton,synthetic fabrics, or blends. InAmerican English, they may be called "white goods", otherwise a term for kitchenmajor appliances.
The cleaning of household linens is done as appropriate to the type of cloth. Household linens are most likely to have stains from organic sources such as food, blood, and soil. If the linens are made of natural fibres such as linen or cotton, the cloth will need to be rinsed in cold water as soon as possible to prevent the stain from becoming permanent. Stains from red wine, or red or purple berries and fruit are an exception and must be washed in boiling water.[3]: 97 Despite this, these stains may be impossible to remove. Otherwise, regular washing of household linens should be done in hot water forhygienic reasons, to destroybacteria from frequent use. Linen and cotton that are white may also become yellow over time. This is eliminated with liquidbleach, or by the traditional method of hanging the linens in the sun to let the sunlight bleach out the discoloration.[3]: 94
Household linens are stored near the area where they are used, when possible, for convenience. Otherwise, bed and kitchen and dining linens may be stored together in a linen closet or cupboard. There are many methods of folding linens for storage. For formal occasions, table linens may be ironed before use. Traditionally, table linens werestarched while ironing to decrease wrinkling and retain a smooth, pristine appearance. Seasonal storage of linens led to the development of natural pest control methods in Europe to preventmothlarvae and other insects or rodents from eating the cloth.Sachets made of driedMargosa (neem),cloves,lavender, and other herbs are traditional, as arecedar wood chips.[4]: 133
Industrial laundries were developed in the Middle Ages, when large convents and monasteries used their own facilities. Hospitals and boarding schools followed this example. Today, there are several types of industrial laundries. Hospitals often use laundry chutes to collect used linens. These are transported to an industrial laundry, where they are sorted into three categories: regularly soiled, infected, or staff uniforms. They are laundered as appropriate, usually at high temperatures, to ensure that viruses, bacteria, and soil are cleaned and that the linens are hygienic before being returned to the hospital.[4]: 138
In India,Dhobi ghats provide laundry service to both institutions and households. Household linens and clothing are both collected on a fixed day of the week by the Dhobi, who washes the laundry at a ghat, which is often in a large Dhobi ghat zone where many Dhobis work at their own stall. Each stall is approximately four square metres. Laundry is washed in large tubs, rinsed, cleaned by beating on a stone made for the purpose, then the linens are hung on lines to dry. Industrial linens are treated in steamers for several hours for hygienic reasons. Dhobis also iron linens.[4]: 142
The collecting and restoring of antique linens can be complex, depending upon the condition of the cloth. Many old household linens were stored filled with starch, which damages the cloth over time since it hardens and causes wearing and tears in the fabric where it is folded and creased.[5] The owner of an antique linen must determine if conserving, repairing, or mending are appropriate.[6]
Types of antique linens may be identified by the place where they were made. Some well known locations for making heirloom-quality household linens include Ireland, for itsIrish linen andlace andMadeira, known for Madeira cloth. The type of embellishment on the linens may make them collectable, especiallyembroidery, including Victorian-eraredwork andbluework, which use only red or blue thread. Lace embellishments on linens also make them collectable, such asBattenberg lace.
January "White sales" have been a custom in theUnited States since the late 19th century. White sales are held by department stores to sell household linens, bedding and towels, at a price discount. The sales are called "White sales" since the sales started during an era when these items were only available in white.
Church linens are used in some Christian churches, with the Roman Catholic Church having perhaps the most elaborate use of them. Linens are used to represent the sacred nature of the altar and to protect theEucharist. Church linens include:
