Cloth woven from the fibres of the flax plant, and by extension the sheets, tablecloths and napkins of a hotel or home, whatever their fibre.
Linen has a material meaning and a household meaning. As a material, it is cloth woven from spun flax fibres. Processing begins with retting the flax stems to release the fibres, which are then washed and cleaned before further preparation for spinning. In hospitality and household use, linens are articles such as sheets, tablecloths and napkins. These articles can be made from other fibres, especially cotton. A linen inventory consequently describes a group of usable items, while a linen fabric specification identifies the material. The context determines which meaning applies.
In job listings
Belmond’s housekeeping porter in Chelsea restocked carts with clean linens, towels, toiletries and other supplies. Here linens means the articles being replenished. A porter could count and replace those articles without knowing whether the cloth was woven from flax or another fibre. Search local jobs for “linen”.
