Surajmal Shobhachand supplies linen and linen-blend shirts, co-ords, trousers, dresses and jackets from India. Send a garment reference or tech pack, quantity and required hand for an enquiry, and we propose linen or blend qualities.
Linen is woven from flax, a fibre taken from the stem of the flax plant. It is strong, and stronger still when wet; it absorbs moisture quickly and moves it away from the body, and it lets body heat escape, which is why it is a summer cloth.
Linen garments we supply
Have a style in mind? Send a reference garment and the quantity, and we quote it in linen or a linen blend.
Request a similar style→Why linen creases, and when to blend it
100% linen
Linen has no significant elasticity, so it holds creases and folds. That relaxed, lived-in look is often the reason a programme chooses it.
Linen with cotton or viscose
A blend feels softer in the hand and is less prone to wrinkling, for garments that have to look pressed for longer.
The blend and its percentages go on the fibre-content line of the tech pack.
Specifying linen on a tech pack
- Fibre content
- 100% linen, or the blend with each fibre and its percentage, for example 55% linen and 45% cotton.
- Yarn count
- In lea, the number of 300-yard leas in a pound, or in Nm, the number of 1,000-metre hanks in a kilogram; in both, a higher number is a finer yarn. The yarn count converter converts lea to Nm, tex and Ne.
- Weight
- In grams per square metre, agreed against the swatch for the garment. The weights mills list for each garment are on the scale below.
- Finish and shrinkage
- The wash or softening finish, and the shrinkage allowed after washing. Some linen constructions keep shrinking after laundering unless the fabric is stabilised, so the limit is tested, not assumed.
Not sure of every line? Tell us what you are planning, and we will advise on what works best.
Send this as a brief→Linen fabric weights (GSM) by garment
What European linen mills list in their catalogues, as a guide to the market. The weight for a programme is agreed against the swatch.
Enquire about linen fabric at the chosen weight
Send the fabric reference, weight in g/m² and metres required for a linen or linen-blend fabric quote.
Tests for linen garments
| Test | Method | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Shrinkage of the fabric[1] | AATCC TM135 | Length and width change of the fabric after home laundering. |
| Colourfastness to washing[2] | ISO 105-C06 | Colour loss and staining, where a single (S) test stands for one laundering. |
| Tear strength[3] | ISO 13937-3 | The force needed to carry on a tear once started, measured on a wing-shaped woven specimen. |
| Pilling[4] | ISO 12945-2 | Resistance to pilling, fuzzing and matting on the modified Martindale tester. |
Certification schemes for linen
State the scheme and order documents your programme requires; see certifications.
Common questions about linen
Do you make linen clothing for private-label brands?
Yes, to the brand's own design and label, from the first sample to bulk. Private label explains how a programme runs.
Should we use 100% linen or a linen blend?
100% linen gives the crisp hand and the creases that come with it. A blend with cotton or viscose feels softer and wrinkles less, so it suits programmes that need to look pressed for longer.
What GSM linen is right for a shirt?
Mill catalogues list shirting linen at around 150 g/m², the same weight they give for blouses and summer dresses. Linens listed for trousers, shorts and jackets run heavier, around 220 to 250 g/m².
What does 60 lea mean?
It is a linen yarn count: sixty leas of 300 yards to the pound, or 18,000 yards of yarn per pound. The higher the lea, the finer the yarn.
How should linen garments be washed?
For linen shirts, the European flax and linen alliance advises a delicate cycle at no more than 30°C and a medium iron.
How long does a linen sample take?
First samples take 4 to 10 days from an agreed brief, and bulk usually ships from 35 days after sample approval.
A question this does not answer? Ask us directly and we reply within 24 hours.
Planning a linen programme?
Send the tech pack or a reference garment, with the quantity and the season. We reply within 24 hours.
Discuss your requirement→