Linen Tea Towels Care & Uses

Linen Tea Towels

Linen is a textile which has been made for thousands of years from the fibres of the flax plant. The flax plant's Latin name is Linum Usitatissimum which aptly translates as "most useful linen". It is strong, durable, and a good conductor of heat. It is smooth to the touch and becomes softer and more absorbent the more times it is washed. It can absorb up to 20% of its own weight in moisture without feeling damp, and is one of the few fabrics that are stronger wet than dry. It is resistant to abrasion damage, resists dirt and stains, and is relatively easy to take care of. Linen teatowels and linen glass cloths are perfect to dry your kitchen dishes, kitchen cutlery and kitchen glassware because they do not leave any surface lint behind.

Taking Care Of Your Linen Tea Towels

Try to launder stains when fresh. We recommend that you wash your new linen teatowel at least once before use. Washing three or four times before first use will further increase the absorbency of the linen fibres. Machine wash or hand wash at a maximum of 50C. If hand washing, rinse very thoroughly to prevent soap and detergent residue brown spots appearing on your linen. Do not tumble dry - dry on a clothes line or on a clothes horse. This natural drying process will be reasonably quick. Steam iron on the reverse to prolong the printed design of your linen tea towel.

Environmentally Friendly Linen

The linen production process is very closely monitored from plant fibre to the end product to ensure environmental friendliness. The complete flax crop is used, with the leftover linseeds, oil, straw and fibre being incorporated into products such as soap, lino, paper, bank notes, and cattlefeed. Waste is kept to a minimum, and all manufacturing process chemicals such as dyes and bleaches are fully treated before being responsibly disposed of. More information regarding Irish linen manufacture and Irish linen history can be found at the Irish Linen Guild website.

Tea Towel Uses

Tea towels are ideal for drying your kitchen dishes, kitchen glass and kitchen cutlery. Some alternative tea towel uses which you may or may not have considered are :

wrap a gift in a tea towel and tie with ribbons to give a double present
place on tea trays to absorb spillage and prevent cups and saucers sliding about
cover kitchen machines such as mixers and food processors to help protect from dust
use as a hand drying bathroom linen guest towel
drape over naturally drying drainer dishes to protect from insects
use as a picnic food cover
drape over your breadboard and butter dish to protect from insects
use as table napkins
food cover for plates of sandwiches and cake
place on an occasional table top for decoration and protection
drape over freshly prepared bread, rolls and toast to help keep them warm
shelf lining inside cabinets
sew into throw pillows and cushions
make a linen tote bag
pin as decoration to the rear of wooden doors
sew together to make designer linen cafe style curtains for your kitchen
drape over a kitchen cupboard door as a stylish designer linen accompaniment
give to a young child as a comforter tea towel
craft some delightful tea towel card wraps to give as gifts (see pictures below)
picture frame for wall art (see the framed Titanic tea towel picture below)