{"id":12001,"date":"2026-07-05T00:07:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T21:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=12001"},"modified":"2026-08-03T14:43:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T11:43:18","slug":"17-05-07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/17-05-07\/","title":{"rendered":"07. Wool and Linen Garments, Past and Present"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the past, most garments were made of wool or linen. Wool is an excellent insulator and keeps the body warm in winter. It also absorbs relatively little dirt, and rain tends to run off it; these qualities made it the standard material for coats. Wool takes dye readily and retains its color, and because it tends to return to its original shape, wrinkles often smooth out on their own. For these reasons, wool garments remain looking new for a relatively long time.<\/p>\n

Linen was considered a comfortable, high-quality fabric. Flax fibers are strong, and when spun into fine threads, they can be woven into especially attractive white garments. The natural variations in the thread\u2019s thickness also give linen a distinctive appearance. Linen was so prized that the Sages taught that men in Eretz Yisrael should bring joy to their wives on the festival by giving them pressed linen garments, which women especially appreciated (Pesa\u1e25im<\/em> 109a). Linen is light and does not insulate, making it well suited to summer clothing through which air can circulate and cool the wearer. Its disadvantages are that it wrinkles easily, absorbs dirt, and is relatively difficult to clean. Once a suitable substitute became available, linen\u2019s status declined sharply.<\/p>\n

Cotton, whose production became widespread several centuries ago, is linen\u2019s natural substitute. Although cotton is slightly warmer, it offers several advantages: it is easier to grow and spin, and cotton garments wrinkle less and are easier to wash. Today, the world produces approximately 80 times as much cotton as flax, while most flax is used to make strong thread and for other non-clothing purposes. Because cotton can also be woven into thick winter garments, it has largely replaced wool as well; global cotton production is now approximately 25 times that of wool. Other plant- and animal-based fibers have further reduced wool and linen\u2019s share of the clothing industry.<\/p>\n

About three generations ago, manufacturers learned to produce synthetic materials from petroleum byproducts, including plastic, nylon, and synthetic fibers such as polyester and acrylic, from which fabrics can be made. Early synthetic garments were neither breathable nor insulating, causing wearers to suffer from both perspiration and cold; only their low cost allowed them to compete with natural fabrics. As the technology improved, synthetic fabrics became more breathable and insulating. Because they are also less expensive and easier to clean and iron, they became extremely common. By 2018, manufactured fibers accounted for more than 70 percent of global fiber production, up from 60 percent a decade earlier. Wool and linen together accounted for only about 1 percent of the clothing industry, and their share appeared likely to continue declining[7]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

In practice, little linen clothing remains apart from a small number of luxury shirts and suits. Because linen thread and fabric are strong, however, they are sometimes used to reinforce parts of coats and suits, such as collars and the areas where buttons and buttonholes are sewn.<\/p>\n

Wool garments have also become less common for the reasons discussed above. Nevertheless, wool\u2019s warmth and resistance to rain and dirt make wool sweaters attractive to those who prefer a natural, breathable material, while its prestigious appearance and durability lead many to choose wool suits and coats.<\/p>\n

\n
\n[7]<\/a>. According to data from DNPI, global fiber production reached approximately 111 million metric tons in 2018. Of this total, only 29 percent \u2013 about 32 million tons \u2013 consisted of natural fibers derived from plants or animals, such as cotton, jute, wool, linen, ramie, and silk; the remaining 71 percent consisted of manufactured fibers. Cotton accounted for 23.5 percent of global production, or 26.1 million tons; wool accounted for 1 percent, or 1.08 million tons; and linen for approximately 0.3 percent, or 310,000 tons. Wool and linen together thus represented only slightly more than 1 percent of all fibers produced, approximately 1.3 percent. The overall trend is toward a declining share of natural fibers relative to manufactured ones.<\/p>\n
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In the past, most garments were made of wool or linen. Wool is an excellent insulator and keeps the body warm in winter. It also absorbs relatively little dirt, and rain tends to run off it; these qualities made it the standard material for coats. Wool takes dye readily and retains its color, and because […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[226],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-17-05"],"yoast_head":"\n07. 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