Exploring the Differences: Linen and Ramie - The Ideal Materials for Summer

The material that is most active in summer is linen and ramie here in Japan, I would like to write a little about the differences between linen and ramie.

There are two main types of hemp used for clothing purposes: linen and ramie.　Let’s briefly review the difference between the two.

-Lineｎ

-Ramie

Fiber length:

Linen is thin and short, while ramie is thick and long.

Thread strength:

Ramie is said to be the strongest of all natural fibers, while linen is weaker than ramie.

Texture:

Ramie is more elastic than linen, and linen is relatively supple.

Fiber whiteness:

Ramie has strong whiteness and gloss, while linen has a yellowish hue and its gloss is second only to ramie.

It looks like the information provided above.

In addition to the above, one of the main features of hemp is that its strength increases by 60% when wet compared to when it is dry. However, this also means that the yarn strength is weak when it is dried.

During the winter when making spring and summer products, it is often said that knitting linen yarn is difficult due to this characteristic.

In the past, factories used to knit linen yarn the night before and put hemp cones in the bathroom. They would use devices such as burning a bath kettle with the lid removed to absorb moisture all night. Similar ideas are sometimes still used today.

Linen is a material that is a little quirky to handle, but its texture, appearance, and atmosphere have a unique quality that other materials lack. I personally like this material.

For summer coordination that tends to be simple, knowing its characteristics well, I definitely want to create wonderful products that make the most of linen’s qualities