The official Sixteen guide to linen
Part one: Know your origins
Being a more conscious consumer is about making informed decisions when choosing the products and brands you support. We’ve created this series of articles to help you choose only the best linen for your home. Materials do matter and we should all arm ourselves with the knowledge to make better purchasing decisions. Opting for natural and sustainable materials in our home.
Making linen is a complex process, but knowing where and how your linen is made are the best indicators of quality, durability, and environmentally friendly practices.
The most highly sought-after linen in the world is European Flax linen, which is certified to have been grown and spun in Europe. This certification indicates the highest quality because this is the ideal growing environment for Flax – here the fibres grow long, strong, smooth and slender. Europe also has some of the oldest linen spinning, weaving, dyeing, and production traditions, having perfected these techniques over generations.
Belgian linen is known to be exceptionally high quality, soft to the touch and bright in appearance. You’ll find this durable and comfortable linen used often in high-end clothing and bed linen.
Irish linen is slightly more coarse and rugged in texture – these strong Flax fibres are super resilient and long-lasting, making this a good choice for workwear and textured bed linen.
Flemish linen is known to feel silky and smooth making it a frontrunner for high-quality bedding.
Italian linen has a natural sheen and slightly crisp feel which gives it a regal appearance which is often sought after in clothing and bedding.
Finally, Indian linen carries a slightly rugged, pebbled texture. It’s also a resilient linen that gets used a lot on workwear and course bedding.
We believe South Africans should have access to the best linen in the world – so that’s what we do. Sixteen’s table linen is made using superior certified European Flax as the raw material, which is then woven into rolls of linen cloth in Europe and constructed into tablecloths, napkins, placemats and bedding with meticulous skill and generations of experience.
We offer a number of ranges within our linen collection – all sourced from within Europe – Belgium, France and Poland included. We have the coveted European Flax Linen certification because of this. When you lay your table on Sixteen’s buttery soft linen, you’ll have no doubts that this is a world-class product.
We see the table as the foundation for life’s special moments—a place where food is shared, stories unfold, and people gather. Inspired by our love of beautiful, enduring linen and a deep respect for materials made to last, we sought out some of the finest linen in the world and brought it home to South [...]
Sixteen’s Table Linen is Made to Last. Sixteen was founded on the idea that linen is an heirloom gift to be passed down from generation to generation. Our founder, Hayley, shares her expert tips and what to look out for when shopping for the very best table linen. As a generation, we’re all coming to [...]
Looking for a meaningful gift? Look no further. What is it about linen that makes it such a timeless gift? Unwrapping a set of new table linen feels like unwrapping a promise of future gatherings, spending time together, breaking bread and spilling tea. What can be better than gifting someone with a perfectly sized tablecloth [...]
Behind the seams
The official Sixteen guide to linen
Part one: Know your origins
Being a more conscious consumer is about making informed decisions when choosing the products and brands you support. We’ve created this series of articles to help you choose only the best linen for your home. Materials do matter and we should all arm ourselves with the knowledge to make better purchasing decisions. Opting for natural and sustainable materials in our home.
Making linen is a complex process, but knowing where and how your linen is made are the best indicators of quality, durability, and environmentally friendly practices.
The most highly sought-after linen in the world is European Flax linen, which is certified to have been grown and spun in Europe. This certification indicates the highest quality because this is the ideal growing environment for Flax – here the fibres grow long, strong, smooth and slender. Europe also has some of the oldest linen spinning, weaving, dyeing, and production traditions, having perfected these techniques over generations.
Belgian linen is known to be exceptionally high quality, soft to the touch and bright in appearance. You’ll find this durable and comfortable linen used often in high-end clothing and bed linen.
Irish linen is slightly more coarse and rugged in texture – these strong Flax fibres are super resilient and long-lasting, making this a good choice for workwear and textured bed linen.
Flemish linen is known to feel silky and smooth making it a frontrunner for high-quality bedding.
Italian linen has a natural sheen and slightly crisp feel which gives it a regal appearance which is often sought after in clothing and bedding.
Finally, Indian linen carries a slightly rugged, pebbled texture. It’s also a resilient linen that gets used a lot on workwear and course bedding.
We believe South Africans should have access to the best linen in the world – so that’s what we do. Sixteen’s table linen is made using superior certified European Flax as the raw material, which is then woven into rolls of linen cloth in Europe and constructed into tablecloths, napkins, placemats and bedding with meticulous skill and generations of experience.
We offer a number of ranges within our linen collection – all sourced from within Europe – Belgium, France and Poland included. We have the coveted European Flax Linen certification because of this. When you lay your table on Sixteen’s buttery soft linen, you’ll have no doubts that this is a world-class product.
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