While women’s dresses are available in more than a dozen fabrics, cotton and linen are two of the most popular materials. They are both comfortable and stylish, making them the favourite choices for women all around the world.
However, there are distinctive features that differentiate cotton and linen dresses and that are useful to know.
TOP 7 Differences Between Cotton and Linen Dresses
1. Origin or source of the material
Although cotton and linen dress appears to look visually similar, they are made of two unique materials. Cotton is made from fibrous organic material around the seeds of the cotton plant, while linen is a material weaved from fibers of the flax plant.
2. Strength and softness
Have a minute to compare the fluffiness and strength of cotton and linen material in your wardrobe. You will probably notice that both fabrics are very soft and fluffy. Some people will claim that linen feels slightly softer, especially after being washed and worn many times. An interesting fact you should know is that linen gets to be softer over time. So, if you feel your favorite linen dress is soft right now, it may feel even smoother up to 30 more years.
Cotton and linen fabric appears to be durable, but the difference lies in their fibre’s physical composition. Thanks to the cellulose fibres present in your linen dress, that makes it more durable than cotton. These fibres appear to be longer and wrapped tighter, providing strength and versatility to the linen fabric.
3. Absorption, quick-drying and temperature-regulating capabilities
Others speculate that linen fabric absorbs more water than cotton, but this speculation is not necessarily true. In fact, a linen dress will absorb up to 20% of its water in weight until it feels wet. Neither the cotton nor linen are water-resistant, but both have the quick-drying ability. Linen fabric stands to be more superior to wick the moisture instantly than cotton. So, the most appropriate fashion apparel during the hot season is in linen material since linen draws the sweat out of your skin, and it dries more quickly. Also, linen table napkins and table covers are more practical because they promptly dry all kinds of liquids.
Moving on, the temperature-regulating capabilities of linen is more substantial than cotton thermoregulatory abilities.
Linen fabrics are referred to as “natural air conditioners,” just like your favourite linen bedsheet will keep you cool and cosy even on the warmest nights. And thanks to its innate ability to keep moisture away from your body, you won’t wake up sweaty and feeling hot at all. But during winter, it is advisable to layer linen to keep your body warmer.
4. Breathability
Here is where the linen dress really shines and why many preferred linen fabrics to cotton entirely. Linen fabric is one of the more breathable textiles on the planet. Thanks to the flax fibres' hollow structure, making linen highly breathable by helping the air and water circulate with ease and allowing heat to escape away from your body. Would you agree if I say that wearing a linen dress or sleeping in with your linen bedding feels more comfortable? That is why a linen dress is the ultimate clothing choice for the summer season.
5. Wrinkle-proof and smooth quality
A wrinkle-proof fabric does not entirely exist even cotton and linen clothing will eventually develop wrinkles. A linen dress will naturally generate more wrinkles than a cotton dress because of the breathability of linen fabric.
There are ways to get wrinkles out of linen clothes. For instance, removing your linen dress from the dryer and immediately putting it up on a hanger will help hinder wrinkles from forming. Also, if your linen dress instructions state “dry clean only,” you should not wash it in the washing machine; instead, have your local dry cleaner professionally cleaned it.
Another clear distinction between cotton and linen is their texture in correlation with their smoothness through visual and physical examination. Compare your cotton and linen dresses using your sense of touch. You will notice that cotton feels a little smoother compared to your linen dress. Then, look closely; you will see a more visible lined pattern in the weave of a linen garment, while a cotton piece appears to be smoother and more uniform.
6. Hypoallergenic and longevity capabilities.
Both materials came from natural fibres that support hypoallergenic properties. As mentioned earlier, linen can get rid of moisture instantly; that is why it has the innate ability to control and prevent bacterial growth. Therefore, linen is more suitable for people suffering from allergies and skin problems because of the lower thread count and loose weave formation of flax fibres keeping the small particles such as dust at bay.
Cotton clothes are comfortable to wear, but they can lose their beautiful form after repeated washing, unlike linen clothing that gets better with every wash. At the same time, linen has moth-resistant and anti-microbial properties keeping your linen clothes fresher and looks great for years to come. Take note that your favourite linen dress will get better with age.
7. All in All
In summary, both cotton and linen fabric has many excellent features that’s why they deserve to be the preferred fabric apparel for everyone. See the table below to have a recap and better understanding of the differences between linen and cotton.
Linen Vs. Cotton
5. Wrinkle-proof and smooth quality
A wrinkle-proof fabric does not entirely exist even cotton and linen clothing will eventually develop wrinkles. A linen dress will naturally generate more wrinkles than a cotton dress because of the breathability of linen fabric.
There are ways to get wrinkles out of linen clothes. For instance, removing your linen dress from the dryer and immediately putting it up on a hanger will help hinder wrinkles from forming. Also, if your linen dress instructions state “dry clean only,” you should not wash it in the washing machine; instead, have your local dry cleaner professionally cleaned it.
Another clear distinction between cotton and linen is their texture in correlation with their smoothness through visual and physical examination. Compare your cotton and linen dresses using your sense of touch. You will notice that cotton feels a little smoother compared to your linen dress. Then, look closely; you will see a more visible lined pattern in the weave of a linen garment, while a cotton piece appears to be smoother and more uniform.
6. Hypoallergenic and longevity capabilities.
Both materials came from natural fibres that support hypoallergenic properties. As mentioned earlier, linen can get rid of moisture instantly; that is why it has the innate ability to control and prevent bacterial growth. Therefore, linen is more suitable for people suffering from allergies and skin problems because of the lower thread count and loose weave formation of flax fibres keeping the small particles such as dust at bay.
Cotton clothes are comfortable to wear, but they can lose their beautiful form after repeated washing, unlike linen clothing that gets better with every wash. At the same time, linen has moth-resistant and anti-microbial properties keeping your linen clothes fresher and looks great for years to come. Take note that your favourite linen dress will get better with age.
7. All in All
In summary, both cotton and linen fabric has many excellent features that’s why they deserve to be the preferred fabric apparel for everyone. See the table below to have a recap and better understanding of the differences between linen and cotton.
Linen Vs. Cotton
Once you have superior linen attributes and feel the necessity to change your wardrobe or use it all around your home. You can buy linen clothing and other linen home essentials online; we strongly suggest purchasing pure linen.
*Collaborative post
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