My first air bnb experience introduced me to the utter luxury of linen bedding. I’d simply never realised that bedding could be so comfy! We were staying in a restored Newari house in Patan, near Kathmandu in Nepal, en route to Tibet. The house was owned by a French/Nepali couple and combined traditional Newari architecture with understated French chic as you can see below….

This was the first time we’d slept with linen bedding and now I understand why we use the term bed linen – it simply sets the standard.

What I find difficult is how to describe it, why does it feel so amazingly good? It isn’t smooth like 1000 thread count cotton, it has a fairly open weave, not coarse but certainly not fine. What it has is a weight and texture that is incredibly comforting, very gentle and reassuring. Sounds stupid? I can understand that response but unless you’ve tried it, it’s hard to imagine. If you have tried it and have better words to describe it, please let me know!

Here’s a few facts about linen:
It’s the fibre of the flax plant and has been used for thousands of years;
Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen – it lasts ‘forever’;
The fibres get softer and stronger over time;
Linen fibres are hollow and linen bedding keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter;
Being hollow, compared to cotton, the fibres absorb more moisture without feeling damp;
Linen is naturally hypoallergenic and anti bacterial, the best choice if you have an allergy.
It’s also got excellent eco credentials: it only requires rain water and needs less fertiliser and pesticides compared to cotton.
Linen bedding will last longer than cotton and is a great investment.
And for those of us who don’t care to iron our sheets, it has a natural crinkled look!

Natural Bed Company stocks linen bedding – pillow cases, linen sheets and duvet covers – as well as linen pyjamas, slippers and robes. And they feel wonderful! They’re pre-washed so they’re already soft and strong and they’ll simply get better with age. The colours are delightful: white, pale grey, dark grey and, a new colour, duck egg blue. And I forgot, a beautiful faded rose pink.

I’ve just been down in the showroom where a couple were looking at the linen bedding. I shared my enthusiasm about my new discovery but, yes, they already knew, they’ve been using it for years! Once you’ve had linen, nothing else compares.

By Peter Bennion – Natural Bed Company Director

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