How to Care for Linen Clothing | Laura Paige Australia
How to Care for Linen Clothing — The Complete Guide
One of the most common reasons women hesitate before buying linen is the question of care. Is it difficult to maintain? Will it shrink? What about the creasing?
The honest answer is that linen is one of the more straightforward fabrics to care for — as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. Here's everything you need to know to keep your linen pieces looking beautiful for years.
Washing your linen
Cold machine wash is perfectly fine for most linen garments. Use a gentle cycle and a mild detergent. Always wash with like colours — linen can bleed slightly on its first wash, so keep whites with whites and darks with darks.
Avoid hot water. Heat can cause linen fibres to shrink and can weaken the fabric over time. Cold or cool water is always safer and gentler.
For your most precious or heavily embellished linen pieces, dry cleaning is a good option and will extend the life of the garment.
Drying your linen
This is the most important rule: do not tumble dry linen. The heat and mechanical action of a dryer can cause significant shrinkage and damage to the fibres.
Instead, gently reshape the garment while damp and hang it or lay it flat to dry in the shade. Direct sunlight can fade colours over time, so shade drying is always preferable.
Linen dries relatively quickly even air-dried — typically within a few hours on a warm Australian day.
Ironing and steaming
Linen creases — that's just the nature of the fabric. Some people embrace the natural relaxed texture of linen, which is part of its charm. If you prefer a crisper look, iron while the garment is still slightly damp using a warm iron with a protective cloth between the iron and the fabric.
A light steam is also highly effective and gentler on the fibres than direct ironing. Hold the steamer a few centimetres from the fabric and allow the steam to relax the creases naturally.
Never iron linen when it's completely dry — you'll struggle to remove the creases and risk scorching the fabric.
Storing your linen
Fold or hang linen garments in a cool, dry wardrobe away from direct sunlight. Avoid storing linen in plastic bags or airtight containers — linen is a natural fibre that needs to breathe.
If you're storing pieces for an extended period between seasons, ensure they are clean before storage. Stains that aren't treated before storage can set permanently over time.
A note on pilling and fading
Quality linen does not pill. If your linen is pilling, it is typically a sign that the fabric contains a significant synthetic blend. Premium linen — like the fabric used across the ABLE collection at Laura Paige — maintains its integrity wash after wash.
Fading is also minimal with quality linen when cared for correctly — cold wash, shade dry, no tumble dryer.
Shop premium linen womenswear at Laura Paige
Every piece in the ABLE collection comes with full care instructions. Free express shipping across Australia, 30-day returns.