Irish Linen

I just found out "Irish Linen" doesn't have to be Irish!

Well... the flax they use doesn't have to grow in Ireland, but everything else relating to it's manufacturing needs to happen there. These days, the finest quality flax actually grows in Northern Europe. The Irish then take the plant and turn it into yarn which is in turn woven into the final linen fabric. An item cannot carry the name "Irish Linen" unless it is certified by the Irish Linen Guild. They slap their seal on it to prove it's Irish Quality.

What does all of that fabric knowledge mean for you? Well, Irish woven linen is considered to be some of the finest quality in the world. When shopping a wide range of brands, having a basic knowledge of textiles (what it's made of, where it comes from, etc.) will help you sift through what is quality and what may fall apart. Quality over quantity. Always.

This linen shirt was made by the Irish mill, Baird McNutt. They're considered to be one of the highest quality mills in Ireland. Now, linen is meant to wrinkle. So embrace that fact now. Let it rumple up a little bit. Undo an extra button or two and relax a little more. It's Summer, after all.

Big tip: Dry clean your linen! You cannot put linen in the dryer, it will damage the fiber and come out in a crinkled little ball. You can hand wash it, but that's just too much work. Drop it off at your dry cleaners instead. And avoid starch! Do people still use starch? Wrinkles. Embrace them.

J-Crew linen shirt / J-Crew shorts (on sale!) / Billy Kirk bag / Seavees sneakers / RayBan sunglasses / Timex watch