2020 ushered in a tidal wave of change and life reassessment in many different facets of our lives. And due to lockdowns and quarantines, we all spent more time in our homes than ever before. For anti-social hermits like me, this was a dream come true. Not only did I have a solid excuse to always be home working on my art, but I was also home with my husband, all of my children, and my business. Happily self-contained.
My home space became my safe sanctuary – safe from the virus itself, protected from the anxiety that the pandemic caused me, and an impervious oasis of comfort that I refined through the course of the year. With all that was going on in the world, I desperately needed this bubble. And so I started tapping into the dreams that I had for my space, one small step at a time.
One of my perfect sanctuary dreams was to switch all the textiles in my home to 100% linen. Being a textile/fiber artist & textile lover, I have always adored the look and feel of raw linen textiles. Its properties like thermoregulation, hypoallergenic, no static, strength, longevity, antibacterial, and while also being eco friendly & sustainable make it a perfect home textile choice. Not to mention my favorite part, the texture. It’s beyond dreamy… & it only gets better with use. The fibers are strong (30% stronger than cotton) and a bit course, but in the most comfortable and softest way. The best way that I can explain the texture of linen sheets is that you really notice the feel of them, more than you would other textiles, but you WANT to keep feeling them because the texture is almost addictive – sounds strange but it’s so true. But that’s just one small part of what makes linen so incredible.
Most people are drawn to the magical thermoregulation properties of linen. To put it short, it is super light and cool in the summer and wonderfully warm in the winter without being too heavy. Because linen absorbs around 20% of its weight in moisture before its start to feel damp, it wicks moisture away and dries fast thus it doesn’t stick to the body. This property is so wonderful for both sheets as well as towels. Linen is also hypoallergenic so it’s great for people with skin issues like eczema or allergies. Some people even swear that it help heals wounds quickly and can cure certain skin diseases. Part of the reasoning for this is because linen also inhibits bacterial growth. Such an incredible property especially for bath and kitchen towels. So while thermoregulation and the lovely texture of linen is what draws most people in (that’s what attracted me), there’s so much more to love about this natural textile.
I made the full switch when I was in my 2nd trimester with my 7th baby, hoping that they would keep me cool through the steamy summer months. I wanted to figure out a way to mitigate the common issues that kept me, and other pregnant mamas, from getting the much needed sleep our minds & bodies need. We already have quite a few factors working against us at night- aching hips, needing to use the restroom, hot flashes, baby doing somersaults, heartburn – heat regulation has always been one of my biggest battles. This is my first pregnancy sleeping in 100% natural linen bedding and I can attest that I sleep so much better than previous pregnancies – soundly, comfortably, and stay cool even through the intense heat waves we’ve had this summer. It’s been a very notable difference and I’m bummed that I didn’t figure this out through my 6 previous pregnancies.
So what is the downside of linen? The only one I’ve been able to find is price. It’s at least double the cost of the same product in cotton. However, it is supposed to last much longer than the cotton counterpart. Some swear that their linen sheets get double the lifespan of any other natural textile bedding, so if you choose a quality linen brand then you’ll get your money out of them in use and time. And no one says that you have buy everything all at once. You really don’t even have to get a full sheet set as most linen companies allow you to buy only a flat or fitted sheet at a time. If you want to try it out without dedicating to a larger investment, I recommend starting with a 100% natural linen top sheet. I’m sure you’ll also find that just that alone will make such a difference.
My bed is now the cloud-like oasis that I’ve always dreamt of having. I’m sold for life on natural linen bedding, not only for the incredible texture and beauty it adds too my life but I’ve never slept better, and neither have my children.
Leave a Reply