Choose 100% linen when you want the crisp, textured, premium look and the coolest hand feel; choose linen-cotton when you need easier care, less creasing and a lower price point. Adding cotton softens the fabric, reduces how sharply it creases and makes it more forgiving to wash — but it also mutes the dry, irregular texture and some of the moisture-wicking that makes linen feel cool in heat.
What the two fibres do differently
- Breathability. Linen wicks and releases moisture faster, which is why it feels cool in hot weather. Cotton holds more water and dries more slowly.
- Creasing. Pure linen creases — it is part of the look. Blending cotton in reduces how sharp that crease is.
- Hand feel. Pure linen starts crisp and softens with every wash. Linen-cotton feels softer and smoother from the first day.
- Texture. Linen has a natural slub and irregularity. Cotton evens it out.
- Cost. Cotton is cheaper than linen, so a higher cotton content usually means a lower price per metre.
How the blend ratio changes the fabric
The ratio matters more than the word “blend”. In our own line, linen-cotton runs from 55% linen / 45% cotton down to 30% linen / 70% cotton. The higher the linen share, the closer you get to linen’s look and feel; the higher the cotton share, the softer, calmer and cheaper the fabric becomes. When a mill says only “linen blend”, ask for the actual percentages — the word alone does not tell you what you are buying.
Which should you choose?
- A premium, textured look for apparel — 100% linen.
- Everyday shirting, workwear and uniforms — linen-cotton, for easier care and a lower unit cost.
- Bedding that is washed often — linen-cotton, or a washed pure linen.
- Hot weather where coolness is the priority — 100% linen.
Linen is blended with more than cotton
Linen is also blended with viscose (for drape and a smooth hand), Tencel™ (for a silky feel and low pilling) and polyester (for strength and recovery). If you tell us the end use and the target price, we can point you to the blend that fits — we develop linen blends from 25% to 75% linen content.