Benefits of Pure Linen Sheets: 8 Reasons to Love Them

The reasons to love pure linen, as the fabric choice, for sheets and pillowcases is because they offer a number of health benefits. Unfortunately, we have moved away from this natural product to synthetics and various blends. But, fortunately, what is old in bedding is becoming new once again.

How can sheets be healthy? - The right type of bedding can affect your health. Even cotton sheets (usually blended with a synthetic) on the market have been heavily sprayed with pesticides. However, it may be confusing if you are shopping for sheets in the US because the term 'linen' has become a generic term for all the fabrics used to make sheets - even synthetics like polyester. Additionally, online stores and mall shops can even use the word 'linen' in their store names - but you will not find a drop of linen anywhere.

This is unfortunate because sleeping on pure linen sheets does have benefits. Made from flax fibers, linen has been grown for thousands of years and is one of the world's oldest fabrics. In the language of flowers, the word 'flax' means 'benefactor.'

The Benefits of Pure Linen Sheets:

1 - Has a light massaging effect because of the microscopic breaks throughout the fabric

2 - Suppresses live pathenogenic bacteria, microflora, and fungi and is not known to cause allergies

3 - Stimulates blood flow and promotes relaxation

4 - Warm in the winter - insulating and cool in the summer - a breathable fabric (think of those sweaty summer nights when you wake up wrapped in damp cotton/polyester sheets)

5 - Absorbent - has excellent abilities to absorb superfluous moisture (see #4)

6 - Stronger than Cotton

7 - Can last up to 20 years (an investment)

8 - Environmentally friendly - all the flax used to make linen is used in other ways - the seeds are pressed to make linseed oil which is used in floor coverings, such as linoleum, and paint. Linen is a renewable resource and it needs no irrigation. Linen is also fully biodegradable.

If you are not sure you would enjoy the benefits of linen sheets or think you would like to try before investing, then you may want to purchase just a set of pillowcases.

A Martha Stewart Tip - I was in the library a few days ago and came across Martha Stewart's latest (gigantic) book of sewing tips and ideas. She included instructions on making linen pillow cases. This may be necessary in the US because it is hard to walk into a "linen" shop and buy bedding made from linen. The pillowcases looked incredibly easy to make - and not having seen linen sheets since my childhood - I think I will try to make them myself. It's easy to find the fabric but not the finished bedding.

For an article about the healthy benefits of another natural fabric - wool, and sheet shopping suggestions - see the links below: