Fabric
My first choice of fabric- LINEN
Something which has always bothered me about commercially produced market bags is they look great in the beginning, but once washed look rumpled & no amount of ironing (geeze…who irons their market bags?). Market bags, by their very definition, are used to hold fresh produce which can be damp and grimy. A beautiful bunch of freshly harvested leeks will turn a pristine market bag into a muddy mess. Market bags need to be laundered often. Cotton canvas, which would seem like a logical choice for a sturdy market bag, is a complete failure in my opinion. Once laundered it wrinkles beyond repair and not in a pretty way.
I’ve always appreciated the drapey, soft, organic appearance of woven linen fabric. Upon sampling, washing, drying, ironing, using and generally subjecting the fabric samples to abuse I came to appreciate the fabric for more than it’s visual appeal.
Linen is easy to care for, is eco friendly and sustainable, makes great garments, bags and sheets. It’s beauty is not in the crisply ironed linen piece, but rather the softly draped and wrinkly surface which reflects the light and reveals the summery quality of the fiber.
Derived from the flax plant first cultivated centuries ago it is truly remarkable. Who were the first people t figure out how to use this product? Tailor on Ten has an interesting piece on the history of linen suggesting it may have been produced dating as far back as thousands of years ago. “The Thread” explores the topic.
I recently watched a video, “Flax to Linen” which shows the process of producing the fiber from planting the seed to the finished weave. The fabric woven from linen thread is durable, absorbent, dries faster than cotton and looks better and becomes softer the more it is washed. With thoughtful design and careful construction a bag made of this wonder material could become an heirloom. Watch these remarkable women complete the process:
Saffron colored 100% linen after washing and drying.
Extra heavy natural linen
Fabric stack #1