I just want to let everyone here in on a great linen source. I had a wonderful experience with the linen sold here Len. Ok which is manufactured in an old historic mill in Belarus. The seller has great communication and customer service, and the product is top notch. In terms of value, it will be very difficult to do better.
Quality I’d say it’s comparable to Rough Linen although I’ve only had the Rough Linen sample cards to base that off of. Either way, if you are looking for the competetivley priced artisan linen then they are worth checking out. . Their manufacturer is the same as Sofia’s Linen from the research that I’ve done by talking to the people at Sofia’s Linen and talking to the people behind Len.Ok.
There’s been some previous discussion on the forum about the Len.OK linen sheets but you are the first to actually order them and share your feedback.
Really looking forward to this as they will be my first set of linen bedding. How will feel after one wash? Should I wash them a few more times before using?
The first wash should shrink them significantly, up to 10%, and hopefully your linen is over- sized to allow for shrinkage.
Some linen dealers recommend up to 160 F wash temp. Your specific linen suggests up to 104 F.
Avoid the dryer if possible. Natural linen fibers break down over time when tossed in dryer. Most linen dealers recommend clothesline drying OR very low heat, remove immediately when dry, fold and store or make bed immediately.
Linen will soften with use and washing before reaching a level of stability (no change) in texture or feel.
Please give us some feedback after a few weeks sleeping with your linens.
[quoteDoes anyone know how these compare to Rough Linen?][/quote]
You can compare product specifications by viewing the online sources.
It’s impossible to compare how they sleep or feel without both products in your possession.
I chose RL because I dislike a fitted sheet. Instead, a generously sized flat sheet tucked in works best for me.
Please let me know how your fitted sheet fits and if it stays in place overnight.
A seam in a sheet can be annoying and disrupt your sleep. RL doesn’t seam a sheet, but there are many other dealers that do.
Sizes are important too.
A RL flat sheet, Queen, measures 96" X 118". The Len OK sheet measures 90" X 102". If anything, you’ll want more sheet, not less.
[quote=“PapaMike” post=56871]
Sizes are important too.
A RL flat sheet, Queen, measures 96" X 118". The Len OK sheet measures 90" X 102". If anything, you’ll want more sheet, not less.[/quote]
Good catch! Trying to set up house quick and didn’t notice the dimensions. Actually leaning toward getting extra sheets because by morning the missus has them all pulled to her side
I’ll definitely take a look into RL after breaking in the Len OK set
You will have to wash and use for at least a month before they potentially become your favorite. That was my experience. Keep in my linen’s first impression may not be the best-- at first I wasn’t sure what the hype was about and kind of regretted my decision but after a month or two of use and washing here and there, I started to love them.
*Compared to Rough Linen…well RL uses heavier GSM especially their Orkney fabric, but I just got the heaviest GSM duvet cover from Len.ok at 165 GSM with buttons in coffee brown (pictured in the original post), and honestly its a little too warm right now, so I can’t imagine going any heavier because the duvet covers definitley add a bit of warmth for someone like me who gets warm easily but for MOST people it should not be a problem. As a side note it’s probably mostly the fault of my 100% camel hair blanket that I feel too warm and not the duvet cover hoenstly. And try to keep your expectations realistic, because I don’t really like the feel of new linen because it does take time to soften. Right now, I have to resist taking off the new duvet cover to use my old softened white Len. Ok linen duvet cover-- but the LOOKS of the new coffee brown/button/heavier GSM cover is so nice I can’t resist using it for pure style. My girlfriend does not care much for my duvet covers but even she was like “Wow that is beautiful”. And she usually doesn’t care if I try to sell or return things, but she told me not to return it because “You’ll probably never get another one like that again.” Haha.
Oh yes I fully anticipate a break in period for the sheets. That’s why my linen shirts have never made it to the fourth or fifth wear! I’m reading so many wonderful things about linen bedding that I’ve started wearing those shirts. And less than two weeks ago, I got this organic cotton set from Amazon. It’s starting thicker and rougher than I’m used to but starting to grow on me. Trying to “green” things in our house. Linen seems like a good choice.
Your duvet looks fantastic. Enjoy! Do let us know how it works for winter. It’s still quite warm in So Cal so I have some more time to research. My wife thinks I’m nuts to mention the possibility of changing our new T&N. As shared elsewhere on the forum, I had reservations about the material and smell but wanted to give them a chance. Is there a support group for significant others of forum members?
UPDATE: I’m 2-3 washes into my Len OK set. It was scratchy but we got used to them 1-2 washes in. Just to confirm, there is indeed a seam on the flat sheet. It is roughly on the 1/3 mark. Can’t tell if I mind the feel of it but prefer the cleaner look and idea of sheets in one piece.
The real surprise for me was the amount of lint that came off the set. Balls of lint gathered around the bed. The bottoms of our house slippers are now felted. We have to vacuum every day. Does linen usually do this?
One of the advantages of good quality linen is that it “shouldn’t” have an issue with linting but I have seen other comments around the web from owners of linen sheets (or linen fabrics used for other products) from some manufacturers also producing unusual amounts of lint beyond the first washing or two. In some cases it seems to vary even with the same manufacturer.
While I’m no expert on all the many differences in manufacturing linen fabrics that can affect the quality of the final product … I would assume that linen sheets that have unusual amounts of lint are either because they use lower quality linen that has shorter fibers or because of differences in how the linen is retted, treated, cleaned, combed, woven, or finished.
Phoenix
PS: I’m also assuming that you are following the care instructions for your sheets and it may be a good idea to wash and dry them separately so that they don’t attract lint from other items such as towels or other things that can produce more lint.
