Linen fabric made from the flax plant and cotton fabric made from the cotton plant are both natural fibers. In colloquial usage, ‘linen’ may refer to household goods, but you need not confuse the term with linen fabrics. Below is a rundown of the properties of cotton and linen in a range of categories.
Durability and Strength
Linen is so durable that the material is even used to increase the weight of paper currency in the US alongside proportionately higher percentage of cotton. Linen still outweighs cotton, and linen fiber comes in various lengths. The length of linen contributes to the strength of the fabric, which goes to further its longevity. On the other hand, cotton fabric is made by spinning fiber into yarns and by weaving it into the fabric.
Moisture Absorption Rate
All natural fibers absorb moisture. Linen cloth can gain weight by absorbing around 20 percent of moisture, prior to giving the wearers a feeling of being wet, while still remaining dry when touched. That explains why linen clothes remain cool once worn. Cotton would absorb over 25 percent of the fabric’s weight in moisture alone. This affinity of both natural fibers is the reason why cloths give comfort alongside fabrics used in bedrooms. Further, linen is renowned for its properties that prevent microbes, something that comes in handy on towels.
How Linen and Cotton Feels in Hand
Linen turns lithe through handling, gaining elegance, and softening up. Although linen beats cotton in terms of natural texture, it still feels silky smooth in hand with a natural luster. However, both linen and cotton are subject to form wrinkles through usage. Cotton plants yield a fluffy fiber in clusters known as ‘bolls’. That is why cotton fabrics feel soft when touched. No other plant fibers offer the same level of comfort that cotton does especially at first touch.
Hollow linen fabrics move both air and moisture quite naturally. When it is cold, wearing blankets made of linen will trap heat, giving warmth to those having a nap. When it is hot, linen cloth will provide coolness. Linen reacts to the body as per the seasons to provide warmth or cool achieved via the properties contained in the fiber. Cotton blankets and clothes also let users overcome variable climate. Its warmth is best felt being a natural fiber.