Caratex Stamps

Irish Linen

These Northern Ireland stamps, featuring the Flax plant, were issued between 1963 & 1972, reflecting the importance of the Irish Linen industry to the country. More recently an E denomination stamp was issued featuring detail from a linen slip case.



(Click here to see full set)

The History of Irish Linen

The first definite mention of linen being made in Ireland was in the 13th century, but it was 400 years later that the linen trade was transformed into a major industry under the guidance of the Earl of Strafford, appointed by Charles 1. By the late 17th century the Huguenots, expelled from France, built the fame and reputation of Irish Linen,and in the 19th century, power-driven machinery took over what for centuries had been a cottage industry. To-day as a result of continuous research, product development, and new technology,the industry is modern and innovative yet traditional, maintaining the qualities and unique properties for which Irish Linen is best known throughout the world.

Linen Usitatissium

Linen is made from the fibres of the flax plant. Grown in many parts of the world, the flax plant requires a temperate, moist climate and good soil. At harvesting, the flax plant is pulled by machine and then 'retted', a process which loosens the fibre from its parent stem by bacterial action. The next stage, 'scutching', subjects the dried straw to a process of crushing and beating resulting in the final separation of the fibre strands from the woody material.

The process of turning plant into fibre has now been completed and the raw material is ready for processing into yarn.

Spinning

Flax fibres are combed, drafted and doubled after scutching until either uniform slivers or 'roves' (lightly twisted slivers) are formed which are spun into yarn in one of two ways.
Wet spinning, when the rove is passed through water to soften the natural gums, thus enabling the fibres to be more readily drafted to produce a very fine and regular yarn used, for example, in apparel fabrics and household textiles.
Dry spinning, which is used for the heavier yarn count required in, for example, canvas, wallcoverings, furnishing fabrics and other household textiles.
A proportion of the total yarn output results in thread for many industrial uses where the intrinsic strength of Irish Linen is very important.

Weaving

Weaving is defined as the interlacing of two sets of threads at right angles - the weft running across the material; the warp running 'with' the material. Although weaving is one of the oldest crafts, Irish Linen to-day is woven on electronically controlled looms and with the use of computer-aided design. Such technology enables the weavers to meet the demands of their markets - commercial buyers may request their own patterns or logos to be woven into the cloth; designers look for more complex weaves. The woven cloth is then carefully examined by experienced quality controllers before leaving the weaving factory.

Finishing

In times past, woven Irish Linen fabric was spread out on open fields to be naturally bleached by sunlight, rain and dew. Irish Linen today is bleached using modern methods under strictly controlled conditions prior to further processing. The fabric's recognised quality of excellent colour stability makes it ideal for either screen printing or dyeing. The unique look and feel which makes Irish Linen famous owes much to the many different treatments which the cloth must go through at the finishing stage - all of which build upon Irish Linen's natural ability to absorb water, its high comfort factor and its zero-static content.

Pure Irish Linen Damask

The word DAMASK is believed to originate from the city of Damascus, which was the great market in the Middle Ages for many of the precious brocade cloths, from which traditional Irish Linen Damask tablecloths and napkins may have developed. Woven on the Jacquard loom, so-called after its 18th century French inventor, Irish Linen Damask is woven with individual thread control so that patterns are visible even in an all-white cloth.

There are two types of damask cloth, Single Damask and Double Damask, describing two differing design techniques and fabric densities. Common to both Single and Double Damask fabric, however, is the feature that the back of the material is the reverse of the front.

In Single Damask weave the weft (crosswise) threads pass over four and under one warp (lengthwise) thread to form the design background - the actual design beingaccomplished by individual thread control from the Jacquard machine.
In Double Damask, the weft threads pass over seven and under one warp thread, allowing a greater thread density and fineness of design to be achieved by theJacquard system. In fact, Double Damask has over 200 threads of warp and weft per square inch. With more yarn used than in Single Damask, the fabric is denserwith improved handling and drape properties and, at the same time, finer in design; a combination resulting in a more expensive but unique cloth.

Qualities & Properties of Irish Linen

Absorbency, strength, colour stability and a high comfort factor are the unique qualities of Irish Linen. Additionally, its freedom from static allows the fabric to drape without clinging. Each time Irish Linen is laundered, a subtle molecular change occurs around each fibre, resulting in the fabric's renewal of its smooth, lustrous surface. Unlike most textiles, linen yarns and fabrics increase in strength when wet, which is why they wash so well. Irish Linen's versatility makes it appealing to fashion designers while, in the home, it adds beauty and colour to all aspects of living.

Royal Households, Embassies, famous Hotels, Airlines and Restaurants choose Irish Linen because of its beautiful appearance and durability. The unique qualities of strength, high moisture absorption, excellent washing and colour retention characteristics have led to the renowned reputation throughout the world of Irish Linen as the best fabric for Household Textiles. Ideal for hot climates, Irish Linen continues to increase its market share in clothing - leisure, fashion and sportswear. From the finest of sheers to heavy close weaves, the variety of weights makes Irish Linen versatile for style, season and purpose. Irish Linen takes colour beautifully either in solid dyed shades or innovative designs of yarn dyed fabrics.

Do you have any queries about Irish Linen, having worked in the industry for over 40 years,
I may be able to help - so please email me

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