The Routine Linen
Everyday linen
“Life is but a tissue of habits.”
— Henri-Frédéric Amiel
If we believe that, we can change our life by changing our habits. And I think that good habits are about having a good routine in our daily life. In this blog, I would like to introduce our products as things to accompany such a good daily routine.
What is Linen?
Superior agricultural crops since time immemorial
Linen is a textile product made from a certain plant. The plant is flax, or flax in English. From flax, fiber is extracted to make yarn, which is then woven into cloth. The cultivation of flax has a long history: fragments of linen textiles dating back 36,000 years were discovered in a cave in present-day Georgia, in the Caucasus region between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. 7,000 years ago, flax was cultivated in ancient Egypt, as evidenced by wall paintings and mummies excavated there. Thus, flax is an agricultural crop that has been cultivated since prehistoric times. The fiber that becomes the thread is located just inside the epidermis of the plant's slender, straight stalk, the part of the plant that is like insulation for a house. These fibers are soft and silky, and their suppleness prevents the stem from breaking. The fiber is also hollow, which allows it to hold and release water and air. Fibers with these functions are bundled together to make yarn and then woven. The fabric is supple, yet absorbs water and dries quickly, and by containing air, it naturally regulates temperature. Flax normally grows only with natural rainfall. It is a very sustainable plant that has a low impact on both the economy and the environment because it does not require irrigation projects such as pumping water from rivers, lakes, or even underground for watering purposes. The seeds can be used to make linseed oil, making it an excellent agricultural crop with little waste. France is the largest grower of flax , and its center is in the Flanders region, which extends into Belgium. These three countries, plus the Netherlands, currently grow 85% of the world's flax.
Flax flowering. The seeds can be used to produce flaxseed oil, which is an excellent agricultural crop that has no parts to be thrown away.
Flax stalks refined after harvesting. The fiber contained within becomes linen, which is a very difficult process that requires many steps and know-how to extract.
A fiber bundle called sliver before being spun into yarn. It is shiny and very beautiful. It is smooth, supple, soft, and warm.
History tells the value of linen
Linen has a long history and is said to be the oldest fiber in the world. Today, it is the only vegetable fiber produced in Europe, and it is also a rare fiber, accounting for only 0.4% of all fibers used in the world. Linen, with its long history and rarity, has been closely associated with many historical figures. In ancient Egypt, linen was treated as a sacred fabric, and murals of its cultivation can still be seen in the pyramids. The mummy of Tutankhamun, the great discovery of the century, was dressed in pure white linen, a symbol of holiness. Alexander the Great of Greece and Macedonia successfully expanded his territory by making linothorax, a very hard armor made of layers of linen cloth and oxidized with linseed oil. It is said that Julius Caesar was so impressed by the high quality of linen fabrics in Flanders, which he visited during the Gallic Wars, that he gave the country its name, Berrigy. The Turin Sacred Cloth, which is said to have wrapped the body of "Jesus Christ," is made of linen. The Bayeux Tapestry, a famous historical artifact of 11th century France and England, is a 50cm wide by 70m long linen cloth embroidered with a magnificent story. The Bayeux Tapestry is a famous historical artifact of 11th century France and England. In modern times, Queen Elizabeth wore a white plain-weave linen garment called the Corrobium Sindonis at her coronation, in keeping with the tradition of the British royal family. Linen has been used for sacred occasions since ancient times and has been used by historical figures on important occasions. Today, linen is treated as an important textile, so much so that it is sold as antique linen and vintage linen.
Mural depicts flax cultivation
In the time of Alexander the Great, linen armor was the standard defensive equipment of the heavily armed infantry armies of the Greek city-states
The Flemish region was called Bel'ch, which means flax in Celtic. It is said that Caesar named the people of the land "Belgians.
The New Testament (Gospel of Mark 16; 46) tells us that Joseph took Jesus down from the cross and wrapped him in linen fabric
The King of Hearts is said to be modeled after Karl the Great.
Hand-embroidered story of the succession to the throne of Edward, King of England, leading up to the conquest of England by Guillaume, Duke of Normandy.
Queen Elizabeth in plain linen "colobium sindonis" at her coronation in 1953
Reasons for the flower language of gratitude and kindness
So why was linen used on so many sacred and important occasions throughout history? The reason is summed up in the language of flowers. The language of flowers of flax is "gratitude" and "kindness. This plant is a very useful plant with very few parts to throw away. The seeds, called flaxseed, become linseed oil, varnish, and linoleum; the fibers become yarn, paper, and mats; other by-products become gardening and insulation materials; and the last remaining parts are compost. As described above, flax is a very useful plant for human life. It is no wonder that the language of flowers means gratitude and kindness. Linen is a precious fiber from such an important plant. It seems only natural that humanity would want to respect it. This will continue to be the case in the future.
The dainty little flowers are also ephemeral, falling off in a few hours after they bloom in the morning.
Why are people attracted to linen?
And while linen has become such an object of appreciation, there is another reason why it has captured the hearts and minds of people for such a long period of time since the beginning of time. It is because the functions and properties of linen enrich people's hearts and minds. Let us list some of the reasons.
1. "Peace of mind" because it is clean and usable
Linen is absorbent and dries quickly, making it suitable for dishcloths and towels for wiping the body, as it prevents the growth of bacteria. It also has the characteristic of fibers that become whiter and whiter with repeated washing. Linen is a textile that is not only easy to use but also looks clean.
Highly absorbent and dries quickly, so it is always clean.
2. "Trustworthiness" because it's long-lasting
The more linen is used and washed, the softer and softer the fibers become. When new, linen has a firmness, but after years of use, it becomes surprisingly soft and pleasant to the touch, making it a pleasure to use. In addition, the naturally uneven and uneven yarns give the fabric a rustic appearance, but in fact, it can be used for a long time without getting tired of it.
The more you wash it, the softer it gets, so you can enjoy the time to nurture its texture.
3. "Happiness" because it's healthy to use.
Linen is highly breathable and moisture absorbent, allowing the skin to breathe freely. This means that linen is warm in winter and cool in summer, keeping you comfortable throughout the year. The fiber itself is also smooth, so dust, sand, and hair are less likely to adhere to it, making it an easy fabric to control the onset of allergies.
Linen bedding that feels dry to the touch and allows for a good night's sleep without getting damp.
As mentioned above, the benefit of using linen is to improve both mental and physical health. This is the main reason why linen has been loved by people from ancient times to the present day.
Tenjin-Factory's Linen Fabrics
1. Raw Materials
The raw materials used to make textiles are vital. Good raw materials produce good yarn, which in turn produces good fabric. France and Belgium are major producers of flax, the raw material for linen yarn, and they continue to grow the best flax in Europe. We use yarn spun from this flax.
Oeko-Tex certified linen yarn of high quality European raw material
2. Design
Seeing and touching can change a person's mind. We have all had the experience of feeling happy and energized just by looking at something, or feeling pleasant and healed just by touching it. I believe that is what is at the core of what we do when we design.
We aim to create a design that makes you want to touch it.
3. Craftsmanship
Because linen is a naturally occurring material, no two pieces of linen are the same. In the dyeing process, it is difficult to produce the same color due to differences in temperature, humidity, and air pressure, etc. In the weaving process, the condition of the woven cloth changes from time to time due to changes in the condition of the yarn. The best way to maintain quality in response to such unforeseen changes in conditions is to do it by hand. Human workers are able to respond flexibly to the situation at any given time.
More processes are done by hand
4 Tools
Tools are only an aid to humans. The subject is the person. The best linen fabrics are produced by skillful use of tools. In this respect, shuttle looms are the closest to handlooms and can efficiently weave soft and warm fabrics. The selvedges, the both edges of the cloth, are the distinguishing mark. It is also a sign that it is made the same way as antique linen.
Shuttle looms are no longer manufactured today. Shuttle is a tool used to weave weft yarns
The selvedges at both ends are proof that this is woven by the shuttle loom like an old-fashioned cloth
Learning from Linens
The flax plant, from which linen is made, grows only with nutrients from the soil and natural rainfall. In other words, when we make or use linen products, we humans are temporarily utilizing something that the earth has nurtured. From another perspective, it can be said that we are being temporarily lent. What is borrowed must always be returned in its original state. One-way production and consumption can only lead to bankruptcy. Resources on the earth are limited. I believe that circulating them is necessary to realize a sustainable world. This is what I have learned through the production of linen textiles.
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“Life is but a tissue of habits.”
— Henri-Frédéric Amiel
If we believe that, we can change our life by changing our habits. And I think that good habits are about having a good routine in our daily life. In this blog, I would like to introduce our products as things to accompany such a good daily routine.
What is Linen?
Superior agricultural crops since time immemorial
Linen is a textile product made from a certain plant. The plant is flax, or flax in English. From flax, fiber is extracted to make yarn, which is then woven into cloth. The cultivation of flax has a long history: fragments of linen textiles dating back 36,000 years were discovered in a cave in present-day Georgia, in the Caucasus region between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. 7,000 years ago, flax was cultivated in ancient Egypt, as evidenced by wall paintings and mummies excavated there. Thus, flax is an agricultural crop that has been cultivated since prehistoric times. The fiber that becomes the thread is located just inside the epidermis of the plant's slender, straight stalk, the part of the plant that is like insulation for a house. These fibers are soft and silky, and their suppleness prevents the stem from breaking. The fiber is also hollow, which allows it to hold and release water and air. Fibers with these functions are bundled together to make yarn and then woven. The fabric is supple, yet absorbs water and dries quickly, and by containing air, it naturally regulates temperature. Flax normally grows only with natural rainfall. It is a very sustainable plant that has a low impact on both the economy and the environment because it does not require irrigation projects such as pumping water from rivers, lakes, or even underground for watering purposes. The seeds can be used to make linseed oil, making it an excellent agricultural crop with little waste. France is the largest grower of flax , and its center is in the Flanders region, which extends into Belgium. These three countries, plus the Netherlands, currently grow 85% of the world's flax.
Flax flowering. The seeds can be used to produce flaxseed oil, which is an excellent agricultural crop that has no parts to be thrown away.
Flax stalks refined after harvesting. The fiber contained within becomes linen, which is a very difficult process that requires many steps and know-how to extract.
A fiber bundle called sliver before being spun into yarn. It is shiny and very beautiful. It is smooth, supple, soft, and warm.
History tells the value of linen
Linen has a long history and is said to be the oldest fiber in the world. Today, it is the only vegetable fiber produced in Europe, and it is also a rare fiber, accounting for only 0.4% of all fibers used in the world. Linen, with its long history and rarity, has been closely associated with many historical figures. In ancient Egypt, linen was treated as a sacred fabric, and murals of its cultivation can still be seen in the pyramids. The mummy of Tutankhamun, the great discovery of the century, was dressed in pure white linen, a symbol of holiness. Alexander the Great of Greece and Macedonia successfully expanded his territory by making linothorax, a very hard armor made of layers of linen cloth and oxidized with linseed oil. It is said that Julius Caesar was so impressed by the high quality of linen fabrics in Flanders, which he visited during the Gallic Wars, that he gave the country its name, Berrigy. The Turin Sacred Cloth, which is said to have wrapped the body of "Jesus Christ," is made of linen. The Bayeux Tapestry, a famous historical artifact of 11th century France and England, is a 50cm wide by 70m long linen cloth embroidered with a magnificent story. The Bayeux Tapestry is a famous historical artifact of 11th century France and England. In modern times, Queen Elizabeth wore a white plain-weave linen garment called the Corrobium Sindonis at her coronation, in keeping with the tradition of the British royal family. Linen has been used for sacred occasions since ancient times and has been used by historical figures on important occasions. Today, linen is treated as an important textile, so much so that it is sold as antique linen and vintage linen.
Mural depicts flax cultivation
In the time of Alexander the Great, linen armor was the standard defensive equipment of the heavily armed infantry armies of the Greek city-states
The Flemish region was called Bel'ch, which means flax in Celtic. It is said that Caesar named the people of the land "Belgians.
The New Testament (Gospel of Mark 16; 46) tells us that Joseph took Jesus down from the cross and wrapped him in linen fabric
The King of Hearts is said to be modeled after Karl the Great.
Hand-embroidered story of the succession to the throne of Edward, King of England, leading up to the conquest of England by Guillaume, Duke of Normandy.
Queen Elizabeth in plain linen "colobium sindonis" at her coronation in 1953
Reasons for the flower language of gratitude and kindness
So why was linen used on so many sacred and important occasions throughout history? The reason is summed up in the language of flowers. The language of flowers of flax is "gratitude" and "kindness. This plant is a very useful plant with very few parts to throw away. The seeds, called flaxseed, become linseed oil, varnish, and linoleum; the fibers become yarn, paper, and mats; other by-products become gardening and insulation materials; and the last remaining parts are compost. As described above, flax is a very useful plant for human life. It is no wonder that the language of flowers means gratitude and kindness. Linen is a precious fiber from such an important plant. It seems only natural that humanity would want to respect it. This will continue to be the case in the future.
The dainty little flowers are also ephemeral, falling off in a few hours after they bloom in the morning.
Why are people attracted to linen?
And while linen has become such an object of appreciation, there is another reason why it has captured the hearts and minds of people for such a long period of time since the beginning of time. It is because the functions and properties of linen enrich people's hearts and minds. Let us list some of the reasons.
1. "Peace of mind" because it is clean and usable
Linen is absorbent and dries quickly, making it suitable for dishcloths and towels for wiping the body, as it prevents the growth of bacteria. It also has the characteristic of fibers that become whiter and whiter with repeated washing. Linen is a textile that is not only easy to use but also looks clean.
Highly absorbent and dries quickly, so it is always clean.
2. "Trustworthiness" because it's long-lasting
The more linen is used and washed, the softer and softer the fibers become. When new, linen has a firmness, but after years of use, it becomes surprisingly soft and pleasant to the touch, making it a pleasure to use. In addition, the naturally uneven and uneven yarns give the fabric a rustic appearance, but in fact, it can be used for a long time without getting tired of it.
The more you wash it, the softer it gets, so you can enjoy the time to nurture its texture.
3. "Happiness" because it's healthy to use.
Linen is highly breathable and moisture absorbent, allowing the skin to breathe freely. This means that linen is warm in winter and cool in summer, keeping you comfortable throughout the year. The fiber itself is also smooth, so dust, sand, and hair are less likely to adhere to it, making it an easy fabric to control the onset of allergies.
Linen bedding that feels dry to the touch and allows for a good night's sleep without getting damp.
As mentioned above, the benefit of using linen is to improve both mental and physical health. This is the main reason why linen has been loved by people from ancient times to the present day.
Tenjin-Factory's Linen Fabrics
1. Raw Materials
The raw materials used to make textiles are vital. Good raw materials produce good yarn, which in turn produces good fabric. France and Belgium are major producers of flax, the raw material for linen yarn, and they continue to grow the best flax in Europe. We use yarn spun from this flax.
Oeko-Tex certified linen yarn of high quality European raw material
2. Design
Seeing and touching can change a person's mind. We have all had the experience of feeling happy and energized just by looking at something, or feeling pleasant and healed just by touching it. I believe that is what is at the core of what we do when we design.
We aim to create a design that makes you want to touch it.
3. Craftsmanship
Because linen is a naturally occurring material, no two pieces of linen are the same. In the dyeing process, it is difficult to produce the same color due to differences in temperature, humidity, and air pressure, etc. In the weaving process, the condition of the woven cloth changes from time to time due to changes in the condition of the yarn. The best way to maintain quality in response to such unforeseen changes in conditions is to do it by hand. Human workers are able to respond flexibly to the situation at any given time.
More processes are done by hand
4 Tools
Tools are only an aid to humans. The subject is the person. The best linen fabrics are produced by skillful use of tools. In this respect, shuttle looms are the closest to handlooms and can efficiently weave soft and warm fabrics. The selvedges, the both edges of the cloth, are the distinguishing mark. It is also a sign that it is made the same way as antique linen.
Shuttle looms are no longer manufactured today. Shuttle is a tool used to weave weft yarns
The selvedges at both ends are proof that this is woven by the shuttle loom like an old-fashioned cloth
Learning from Linens
The flax plant, from which linen is made, grows only with nutrients from the soil and natural rainfall. In other words, when we make or use linen products, we humans are temporarily utilizing something that the earth has nurtured. From another perspective, it can be said that we are being temporarily lent. What is borrowed must always be returned in its original state. One-way production and consumption can only lead to bankruptcy. Resources on the earth are limited. I believe that circulating them is necessary to realize a sustainable world. This is what I have learned through the production of linen textiles.