What is Linen?
[[Image:Curtain light.JPG|thumb|upright|An example of linen cloth.]] '''Linen''' is a material made from the [[fiber]]s of the [[Flax|flax plant]] (''Linum usitatissimum''). It is mainly used to make [[cloth]], especially for light [[clothing]] and [[Table (furniture)|table]] coverings. == History == The flax plant is one of the plants humans have [[agriculture|grown]] and used. Linen cloth was already made at least 6,000 years ago in [[Egypt]] and [[Mesopotamia]]. This makes linen one of the oldest fibers and cloths used by humans, besides [[wool]] and [[hemp]]. Linen and hemp were the most important fiber plants in Europe for a long time. Linen was for example also used to wrap Egyptian [[Mummy|mummies]]. In recent centuries linen has largely been replaced by [[cotton]] and synthetic materials, which are cheaper. == Other websites == {{Commonscat-inline|Linen (flax)|Linen}} {{stub}} [[Category:Fibers]] [[Category:Woven fabrics]]