Had to choose between linen and cotton for a summer dress, picked linen, and now I'm itchy

I was designing a summer dress last week for a client in Austin and couldn't decide between a soft cotton voile or a mid-weight linen. Went with the linen because it looked more high-end on the mannequin. Now the client says it's too scratchy against her arms and wants a refund. Has anyone else had linen fail for summer pieces despite the hype?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopher9431d ago

Ugh that's rough. Linen always seems so perfect in theory but the scratch factor is real especially with sensitive skin.

janarivera1d agoMost Upvoted

And the thing is, even the "softened" linen still needs like 15 washes before it gets comfortable. I've heard some people swear by the dryer on high heat to help break it in faster, but I'm always scared I'll shrink it into doll clothes. There's also that whole thing where it wrinkles if you look at it wrong, which is kinda charming for a beach vibe but not so much for a regular day. Maybe try a bamboo or tencel blend if you still want that breezy feel without the scratchiness?

emery_black1d ago

My 12 year old linen duvet is still going strong and I barely wash it, maybe twice a season. The scratchiness goes away after a few wears if you actually use it instead of babying it. Wrinkles are part of the look, that's the whole point of linen. Just roll with it and stop fighting the fabric.