Linen labels sound alike and mean different things. Some tell you where the plant grew. Others tell you where the cloth was made. Here is what each one guarantees.
European flax: where the plant grew
Flax grows best in the cool, damp coastal belt of Western Europe, across France, Belgium and the Netherlands. "European flax" or "Belgian flax" on a label tells you the fibre came from there. It does not tell you where that fibre was spun and woven. Much European flax is shipped elsewhere to be made into cloth.
Belgian Linen™: where the cloth was woven
Belgian Linen™ is a protected label. It guarantees that the fabric was woven in Belgium and contains at least 85% flax of European origin. So "Belgian flax" is about the field, and "Belgian Linen" is about the field and the mill.
Masters of Linen®: the whole chain in Europe
Masters of Linen® goes one step further. It certifies that every stage, from the flax field through spinning and weaving, took place in Europe.
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: what is not in it
This one is not about origin. OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 means the textile was tested for harmful substances. The class tells you how strict the limits are: class II covers textiles worn against the skin, and class I is the strictest, written for products for babies.
What I use
All Alma Maya pieces are made from linen woven by Libeco in Flanders, a mill that has been weaving since 1858. The fabric carries Belgian Linen™, Masters of Linen® and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 class II. The embroidery thread is TENCEL™ Lyocell, certified OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 class I.
Why it matters
Good flax is only the start. How the yarn is spun and how tightly the cloth is woven decide whether linen pills, shrinks or lasts for years. A label that covers the mill as well as the field tells you far more about what you are buying.
Read more about the linen I use and how to care for it.