Collection: Linen Fabric

The Linen Fabric collection here at Fabrics Galore London is stocked with a range of prints and colours that are perfect for different seasonal dressmaking and home furnishing sewing projects. We stock a range of 100% linen fabrics as well as linen blends like linen and cotton and linen viscose fabric. Curated by Paul Johnston, owner of Fabrics Galore for over 30 years, our collection offers beautiful quality linen at affordable prices.

Linen Fabric

Our linen fabric collection is carefully curated to bring you a choice of linen fabrics for clothing, linen cloth blended with other fibres like linen and cotton blends or linen and viscose which provides additional drape compared with a pure linen. Linen can be made from 100% linen or mixed with other fibres which often makes it more affordable.

What is Linen Fabric Made From?

Linen is made from the flax plant and is woven to create a long lasting natural fibre which is suitable for clothes, homeware and furnishing. Unlike many other fabrics, linen gets better with age and becomes softer and less prone to creasing. It is highly breathable and therefore popular for summer clothing.

Linen Dress Fabric

A variety of gorgeous linen fabric prints to choose from, including washed linen fabric in vibrant colours and floral printed drapey linen viscose, you can create the bespoke trousers, blouse, skirt or dress of your dreams using the various linen dress fabrics from the collection at Fabrics Galore. From plain prints to tropical and watercolour themes, you can find the linen fabric that reflects your style right here.

Linen Furnishing Fabric

From Ikat and geometric prints to metallic cotton linen blend fabrics to 100% loomstate linens, discover your perfect linen look fabric for all your home furnishing projects right here.

All you need to do now, is decide on the colours and whether you like 100% linen or a linen look fabric and you are ready to get sewing!

What are the Properties of Linen Fabric?

The natural colour variants of linen fabrics range from a creamy white to a greyish brown. If you wish to make your linen as white as possible, you can bleach it to achieve this shade.

Another strong property of linen is how absorbent it is. Linen is known to absorb up to a fifth of its weight in moisture, which makes it a highly popular fabric for many different sewing projects.

What are the different types of linen fabric?

There are 5 different linen fabric types. Firstly, damask fabric is a linen that is woven using a mix of plain and satin weaves on a jacquard loom. The end product is a linen fabric that has a smooth texture and a reversible pattern.

Plain woven linen often has a checked or striped pattern and has a loose weave to make it more absorbent than other linen fabrics. Due to its high levels of absorbency, plain woven linen is a popular choice for cleaning fabrics.

Loosely woven linen is an even more absorbent fabric than plain woven linen, however it is less durable. Loosely woven linen is rarely used as a dressmaking fabric.

Sheeting linen is another linen variant, that is heavier than other linen types and is therefore useful for making sheets.

What is linen fabric used for?

Linen fabric is frequently used for summer dressmaking whether that is a pair of lovely relaxed linen trousers or an elegant linen dress. Linen jackets are a popular choice for men and women in the summer months. You can also use linen fabric in home furnishing whether for curtains, blinds, cushions or even upholstery.

Can you machine wash linen fabric?

Yes, linen fabric washes really well and even becomes softer the more you wash it. This washability is one of the lovely qualities of linen and makes it an extremely durable fabric which will last for years and even improve over time. Some of our linen fabrics are also pre-washed so you don't have to worry about shrinkage.

What is linen fabric made out of?

Made from the flax plant, linen is a 100% natural fibre and is one of the oldest fabrics in history. It can be regarded as sustainable in that every element of the flax plant can be used so it is a zero waste plant. Flax uses less water and harmful pesticides to grow than cotton and is a biodegradable textile if untreated during its manufacture. Many of our dressmaking washed linens also meet the OEKO-TEX 100 standard for textiles.

THE DIFFERENT WEIGHTS AND USES OF LINEN

With so many different types of linen to choose from, consider the use of your linen material first. If you are making summer clothes, you may want a lightweight linen which will feel light and airy for hot days and won't stick to your skin. The Fabrics Galore range of dressmaking washed linens come in a variety of lovely colours and are pre-washed so that they won't shrink and will feel really soft. These high quality 100% linen plain coloured fabrics have a lovely drape and are perfect for any summer dressmaking. If you are looking for even more drape, Fabrics Galore also stock linen viscose mix prints ideal for a lovely drapey pair of Palazzo pants.

However, if you are using linen for home furnishing, whether for upholstery, curtains, bedlinen, tablecloths or tea towels, you may want a heavier weight linen which will be more durable. While heavyweight linen can be used for upholstery, it is also ideal for cushions, curtains and bags. Fabrics Galore often have metallic linen fabric in their Home Furnishing range as well as 100% loomstate linen. Loomstate is fabric which has no finishing after it comes off the loom so has a natural look and feel.

WHAT IS RAMI?

Sometimes at Fabrics Galore we stock a fabric called Rami, which is very similar to Linen and therefore sits in that department. It has the same construction as linen but whereas linen is made from the flax plant, rami is made from the nettle plant. This means it has a very similar texture but the only real difference is that it feels ever so slightly heavier.

Don’t miss out on our latest linen prints and plains!

For the best quality linen fabric in different colours, weights and prints at great prices, shop at Fabrics Galore. Receive regular updates on all our latest products and offers by signing up to our free newsletter now.

Alternatively, if you would like to discuss anything regarding linens in more detail, you can chat with one of the team by calling 020 7738 9589.

One stop fabric shop

Welcome to the Fabrics Galore London online store, packed full of beautiful fabrics to inspire your next dressmaking, patchwork quilting, craft or home furnishing sewing project. We stock a huge range of different materials alongside designer fabrics from Liberty, Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, Laura Ashley, William Morris and Alexander Henry. We source the highest quality fabrics, so whether it be a cotton, linen, viscose, chambray, jersey or wool, we have you covered.Check out our dressmaking fabric for something with drape, fabulous Liberty cotton lawn prints, quilting fabrics for patchwork inspiration or the home furnishing section to pimp your pad. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get sewing!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you sell by the metre?

We sell by the half metre on our website (the price is therefore displayed by the half metre) to allow our customers more flexibility. If you wish to buy a metre, you need to buy two units, but don’t worry, it will always be cut in one continuous length.

Can I pay for next day delivery?

We can send your fabric by courier which should arrive the next day, for the additional cost of £12. The simplest way to do this is by sending us an email howdy@fabricsgalore.co.uk or by calling the shop on 0207 738 9589. We would need to know before 1pm, and we are unable to organise a Saturday delivery.

Can I buy your fabrics if I live outside the UK?

Yes, we ship to Europe. For all the details, see our Shipping Page.

Do you send out samples?

We do, our samples are 10 cm by the width of the fabric (usually 112cm or 137cm) and cost 10% of the fabric’s metre price plus £1.50 for postage. Simply go to our Request a Swatch page.

Is there an actual shop I can visit?

Yes, we have a shop in South London. All the fabrics, which are available online (and more) are in the shop alongside a small haberdashery and pattern range.

The address is 52-54 Lavender Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 5RH.

Is it possible to get a wholesale price?

We are a fabric retailer rather than a wholesaler so the short answer is no, but if you are looking for a large quantity of fabric, it is best to email us on howdy@fabricsgalore.co.uk to see if we can help you out.

What does OEKO-TEX 100 mean?

OEKO-TEX 100 means the fabric has been tested for 100 harmful substances. The testing and certification process extends far beyond existing legal requirements, testing not only for substances already banned, but also for chemicals known to be unsafe, but not yet controlled by legislation. Fabrics which meet OEKO-TEX 100 are great for children’s clothing or underwear.

How quickly will I get my order?

All our orders are sent out by Royal Mail First Class so should be with you within a few days of fulfilment and often within 1-2 days. We send fabric out on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. During busy periods such as sales, deliveries may take slightly longer, and we are always grateful for your patience.

Where do your fabrics come from?

We stock British fabrics as well as fabrics from suppliers all over the world - including Germany, Italy, Taiwan and India.

Will you be at any shows this year?

In recent years we have cut back on the number of shows we attend but we do still go to several. For the full list have a look on our Events Page.

Can I order a specific fabric from a supplier which you stock but isn’t on your website?

We select our fabrics from various ranges to create the interesting collections we offer and it’s rare that we buy the whole range. If you have a specific fabric you are looking for, it’s best to email us to find out if we can help you. Our email address is howdy@fabricsgalore.co.uk

When will out of stock fabrics be available again?

When we sell out of a popular fabric such as our cream bouclé, we will try very hard to get it back in quickly. As soon as it arrives, it will go straight back on our website, and we will notify our customers via social media or our weekly newsletter. If you wanted to sign up so you never miss a thing, subscribe on our simple sign up form

Do you offer gift cards?

Yes, we do have a few different types: you can buy a voucher for Free Postage for a Whole Year gift card. Or you can buy vouchers for £10, £25, £50 or £100 which will be emailed over to you immediately, in case it’s a last-minute gift. See our gift voucher page.

What does GSM mean?

GSM stands for grams per square metre; the higher the number, the thicker and heavier the fabric will be. For example, a denim or a sweatshirt fabric will have a much higher GSM than a satin.

“Brilliant service! I ordered some fabric and thread online; it arrived in just 2 days and was just what I wanted for a very good price. I am very happy, thank you.”

Susan Eady | Helston, Cornwall

What our customers say

Fast Delivery

Great Quality

Outstanding Customer Service