Napkin washed linen

Unlike freshly starched table linen ironed flat and smooth, this table linen is made from stonewashed linen with a particularly vibrant and slightly uneven surface on purpose. Unusually for table linen, these pieces use a slightly coarser yarn that is loosely woven into the traditional plain tablecloth weave. The result is a semi-transparent weave that after its first wash seems more voluminous and quickly acquires a soft feel, unlike typical linen fabrics which often feel a little stiff at first.

"I love linen and always dreamt of having my own business." Such a statement coming from this young woman might be surprising at first. But when you realise that Kristina Ramanauskaite’s family has been working with linen for thirty years and that she is from Lithuania — a country that has a vibrant, millennia-old, deeply rooted linen tradition — it no longer seems like such an unusual path for her to take. In fact, in recent years the Baltic States have witnessed a growing trend of young artists, designers and artisans reviving old handicraft traditions – a trend that includes Kristina Ramanauskaite.
Lino Stilius — which means “linen style” — is the name of the family business founded in 2011. The Ramanauskaites want to combine the traditions of Lithuanian linen with modern technology and contemporary design. Together with her mother Virginija, Kristina creates simple yet modern linen fabrics that are extremely light, soft and flowing. In order to maintain the natural, slightly wavy appearance of the fabric, it is recommended that after the first wash, you pass a steam iron at the highest temperature over the fabric – without the iron actually touching the fabric, but simply hovering a few millimetres above it.