Why linen?

I chose to work mainly with linen not only because it’s one of the most sustainable fabrics in the world, but because it has sentimental value to me.

My great grandfather and grandfather used to grow flax, the plant linen comes from. I grew up listening to many stories about the beneficial factors of linen.

Every part of the flax plant was used, nothing was wasted, and production was cost effective. A common by-product of flax was linseed oil, which is great for wood varnish. My grandfather used to drink linseed to help him with any digestion problems. A potion that was still being used in my family before it became super food.

One of the reasons my grandfather used to grow flax is because it’s resilient and can grow in poor soil, using far less than cotton. According to the European Confederation of Linen and Hemp, “Across its lifecycle, a linen shirt uses 6.4 litres of water” compared to 2,700 litres for a cotton shirt.

In the past, any crop that needed little attention but was profitable for the family was crucial for survival. Especially in postwar Poland.

The process of separating the flax fibers from the plant's woody stalk was laborious and painstaking and my grandfather wasn't a big fan of this stage. However, he liked bleaching the fabric during winter. It was a simple process where the linen was put on the snow so the frost would do work for him.

I have to say, I miss those stories everyday. Especially, during the summer holidays, when I would spend my school break at his farm.

I love the simplicity of their lives and how they used, but never overused natural resources. It’s why I love using linen in my creations.