Science Says Linen Is the Coolest Summer Fabric—But Can It Look Cool?

It’s summer. It’s hot. You’re sweating. I’m sweating. We’re all perspiring in one big, hot bubble of heat together. But despite the supermodel appeal of the skimpy cotton tank top, lighter-feeling materials and large amounts of exposed skin don’t necessarily mean you’ll feel cooler. The strategy to beat when it comes to staying sweat-free is linen. After all, the material has been used for that purpose since ancient times. “Linen fabrics have been reported ever since humans learned to make fabrics, and from many civilizations,” says Margaret Frey, professor of fiber science and apparel design at Cornell University. “Linen is harvested from the stalk flax plant, which grows in cooler climates than cotton and is robust against insects and drought and is also quite beautiful.” Fun fact: In 2009, a team of archeologists discovered flax seeds over 36,000 years old that were used to make linen in a cave in the country of Georgia.

There’s a reason why linen has been worn for millennia: It’s scientifically proven to be a cooler fabric than cotton or silk. Silk retains heat, while cotton tends to fall closely to the body, meaning you’re in for a sweaty day if you choose either. “Linen is a comfortable material for summer because of its high moisture absorptivity and relative stiffness,” writes Jintu Fan, professor of fiber science and apparel design at Cornell University. “The former property absorbs sweat and the latter property makes it detached from human skin, creating spaces between human body and clothing for ventilative cooling.”

As useful as the fabric is, though, it isn’t usually seen as sexy. Linen shirts are the vacation version of the dad jean, associated with dorky vacationers who pick them up as island souvenirs and warp their aesthetic with a lame pair of chino shorts. But at Spring 2018 Men’s Fashion Week, the hot-weather staple received a chic makeover. Hecho showed an elegant cream robe shirt, while David Hart updated the guayabera in a soft shade of pink. The new label Blluemade, meanwhile, was founded specifically to give a rich life to the fabric. Husband-and-wife duo Alex Robins and Lilly Lampe launched the brand in 2016 after they spent time teaching art history in Georgia and taking the summers to travel in Southeast and East Asia. “Stateside and abroad, we’d suffered in high heat and humidity,” Lampe says. “We needed clothes that looked great while visiting museums and meeting with curators, artists, critics, and family, but could also pack easily and dry overnight.” Lampe does admit that linen has a bit of an image problem. “There’s definitely a frumpy stereotype associated with it,” she says. “And yes, much of what’s on the mass market is big, boxy, and less concerned with tailoring than breeziness. The incredible comfort and feel of linen in warm weather is one of its biggest attractions, but we believe there’s a way to harness that to styles that offer, well, style!”

Of course, some designers have felt this way all along—namely Eileen Fisher, a holy grail of information about the absorbent fabric. Fisher created her first four shirts out of a linen-cotton blend in 1984, and uses linen in every spring collection. “What I love about it, it’s not just cool, it’s really unbelievably cool. It is so durable, and it can either be fresh and crisp or rumpled up,” she says. “Personally, I don’t like air-conditioning. I like the heat, but I like to be cool in the heat and don’t like anything that sticks to me. I like the easy styles and that sort of billowy quality that it has.” Staying comfortable in summer without frigid A/C? Now that’s cool.