The 11 Best Linen Clothing Brands of 2024

When it comes to clothing and textile, nothing screams “it’s summer!” quite like linen. There’s something about its breathable, easy-going vibe that translates to warm weather and fuss-free living. And as temperatures begin to rise, you need to be prepared with a linen wardrobe that is as functional as it is stylish, especially as you begin to plan for summer travel.

Whether you’re looking for an easy dress, a sharp button-down shirt, or trousers that look good for both casual and dressy events, you’ll want all of it in linen come your next warm-weather getaway. We love how breathable, light, and durable linen is, but not all of it is made equal. So below, we’ve compiled 11 brands making some of the best linen items around.

If we’re being honest: Alex Crane makes flawless linen. The price is right (the Bo shorts are a steal), the classic silhouettes suit everyone, and their sustainability bonafides (using only fair trade, organic materials) are exceptional. Ask anyone who’s ever worn their stuff — they’ll all sing their praises.

The Playa Shirt, which comes in 14 colors and patterns, is a brand icon. It’s beloved for the soft, worn-in feel that’s both comfortable and sexy. It comes in women’s sizing, too, but in fewer colors. The Sun Tee is the perfect summer T-shirt: easy-breezy and super sturdy — you’ll have it for years to come. Considering how many clothing categories Alex Crane makes linen in, you can use them to outfit your entire summer vacation. You’ll never look more stylish!

The Details: $65 to $195

Uniqlo

Uniqlo’s Premium Linen Shirts (for men and women) are priced under $50 and come in countless colors. (The men’s version offers a grandpa collar option, too, which is super chic with a pair of chino shorts for every casual activity you want to do this summer.) The quality of the shirts is fantastic at that price point: lightweight, breathable, and durable. And if you get them on sale, they’re sometimes slashed to a quarter of the regular price as well.

The size-inclusivity is great, too. The women’s sizing runs from XXS to XXL; while men’s styles can go up to 3XL. There are linen-cotton blend pieces, too, like these crisp pants for women, but be careful with the synthetic blends: they won’t have the same heat-friendly properties that natural fibers possess.

The Details: $40 to $80

Amazon

Known for its whimsical swimwear, France-based Vilebrequin does make clothing you can rock out of the water. We particularly love this playful tunic with its topical print as well as these drawstring cargo shorts for men. They capture the easy-going vibe of summer in the Mediterranean so beautifully. But if you need to dress it up a notch, they’ve got you covered, too: these linen trousers will look great for a dinner at a beachside hotspot. And for women, this dress is the kind of item you could live in all summer long.

The Details: $215 to $445

Shopbop

Most linen pieces you’ll find are made for comfort — they’re easy and breezy. But Sweden-based OAS adds even more to the natural ease of the fabric by making clothes that are meant to be worn a bit looser. Its dresses, shirts, and pants are great examples of resort-ready dressing. Plus, they all come in vibrant colors and prints.

Linen pants and shorts should always come with drawstring closures, like these stunning Lauda shorts inspired by Rio de Janeiro. Get the matching short-sleeve pullover shirt if you want a fun summer set. And can you imagine a more comfortable, more eye-catching linen dress than the flowy Mashed Tangelo tunic? And to complete the fantasy, there are linen espadrilles, too!

The Details: $120 to $320

Most Durable

Banana Republic

Four of the linen shirts I have in my warm-weather rotation are from Banana Republic. And two of the four I bought over 15 years ago, so you know that they’ve got longevity. But if you want to better understand the current BR glow up, look no further than their linen collection: there’s a maxi dress with sexy cutouts for a trip to Mykonos, a poncho for cold airplane rides, a pale-yellow blazer and trouser for a destination wedding, and much more. If you take care of your clothes, you could have these things forever.

The Details: $60 to $450

Tombolo

If you want to look like you’re always on vacation, NYC-based Tombolo is your brand. The playful patterns (some of which were inspired by seaside vacations and iconic European hotels) will always bring a smile to our faces. We love this seaside-themed button-down T-shirt , these dress-it-up-or-down blue pants, and these more-wine-please shorts. And because these are cut to be worn by anyone, the unisex sizing can often accommodate many body types.

The Details: $108 to $138

Everlane

From this sleek shirt-dress to safari-ready short-sleeve shirts, Everlane’s linen selection is a solid choice if you’re looking to beef up your warm-weather wardrobe. Roomy cuts in wear-forever colors mean there’s something for everyone.

And we love how easy these pieces will complement the rest of your closet. We love this puff-sleeve gingham dress: it’s super airy, perfect for hot summer days in Sicily. And these relaxed, pull-on pants are ready to be your workhorse – you just need to find the right loafers to wear with them.

The Details: $28 to $110

Best Organic

Eileen Fisher

If you’re looking for an easy-breezy linen wardrobe that features fair-trade and organic sourcing, then Eileen Fisher will be your go-to brand. The variety of linen clothing available will keep your closet full – we swear by long-sleeve linen T-shirts as the ideal airport attire. And we love the slightly boxy cut of this one, which you can tuck into your favorite jeans. And this square-neck dress is the kind of piece you could wear to anything this summer, from a day of walking around Mexico City to a vineyard wedding in Napa. If you’ve got more professional commitments to attend, how about this elegant blazer in chocolate brown?

The Details: $88 to $298

Amazon

Like Vilebrequin, Onia is really known for its cool-kids swimwear, but it’s branched out to become a full-grown clothing brand that boasts a summer-forever visual identity. Hence, the incredibly vast collection of linen items.

This is some of the airiest linen you’ll find, which is especially helpful for the more formal pieces, like this unstructured blazer or this cropped striped polo sweater (with a stunning pant to match). But from the Hawaiian shirts to the beach cover-up to the pull-over hoodie, no brand offers quite this many different silhouettes in 100 percent linen, which makes Onia all the more versatile.

The Details: $110 to $325

Best for Minimalism

Buck Mason

If you’re looking for a full set of linen clothing that will seamlessly fit into your existing closet, we recommend the sleek, minimalist pieces from Buck Mason, whose aesthetic is very firmly rooted in fuss-free basics. For guys, we love the cotton-linen suit (and the matching pants) in this dark navy. Or rock each piece separately for more casual situations. And how perfect is this linen wrap dress with the patch pockets on the chest? It will go perfectly on your next safari or beach vacation. We also love this pointelle tank that gives off a charming vintage vibe.

The Details: $118 to $228

Best for Maximalism

J. McLaughlin

The most accessible linen clothing out there is typically very neutral in style: you’ll find classic colorways and the occasional summery stripes. But if you prefer something more vivid, check out J. McLaughlin’s preppy designs. Of course they have plenty of more neutral pieces (we love this safari-ready jacket for guys and girls — both in this wear-anywhere oatmeal hue), but check out these men’s floral shorts and these palazzo-style trousers for women. You can definitely build a head-turning travel wardrobe around them by pairing more neutral pieces like white T-shirts. This butterfly-print linen shirt is a lot of fun, too, and proceeds from its sales goes toward the Everglades Foundation.

The Details: $118 to $498

Tips for Buying Linen Clothing

Be prepared for wrinkling

The aspect we love most about linen is the very thing that turns people away from it: linen fabric is stiff, which allows for better ventilation. But that stiffness is prone to wrinkling. And that’s why you’ll find brands blending linen with fabrics like cotton and silk as well as synthetics that are less likely to wrinkle. But they also dampen linen’s breathability. So you may be better off purchasing a travel steamer and a wrinkle-release spray to bring with you on your travels.

Consider the type of linen

Like any textile out there, not every linen is made the same. In fact, there are dozens of linen categories. You’ll likely find jackets and trousers made of close-weave linen to allow for more structure and durability. Loose-weave linen yields much lighter fabric so you’ll often see it used for summer scarves and T-shirts. And there’s also pre-washed linen, which tends to be softer, too.

The provenance of the textile impacts quality as well. Belgian Linen is actually a trademarked name, which comes with a very specific set of rules; such as, most of the flax used to make the fabric must come from the European Union. Irish linen is also quite famous for its quality and durability – the Irish have been using linen for centuries. But flax is grown in many places and mills that weave linen exist all over the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you wear linen clothing?

What makes linen so special is its durability, breathability, and its ability to absorb moisture quickly. It’s also incredibly lightweight. So you want to wear linen when it’s very hot out, because it allows for air to circulate, keeping you cooler in a way that other fabrics can’t. In fact, we’d say you shouldn’t wear anything else but linen when temperatures begin to rise.

How do you care for linen clothing?

Linen is actually pretty easy to care for, because it’s rare that it needs to be dry cleaned. Most brands suggest washing in cool water on a gentle cycle and then line-drying to avoid shrinkage. (Linen clothing air-dries quickly, so it’s easy to bring on your travels.)

When it comes to packing linen, the first thing you need to remember is that this is a fabric that will wrinkle. From there, some suggest padding your linen clothing with tissue paper to lessen friction between fabric. While you can roll things like pants, shorts, and T-shirts, you’ll probably want to fold linen jackets and button-down shirts to minimize wrinkling, or hang them up in a garment bag.

Is linen an eco-friendly fabric?

Linen is incredibly eco-friendly. On its own and when left untreated, linen is entirely biodegradable. And flax, the plant that produces linen, can actually be used in its entirety so nothing is wasted. Furthermore, flax is resilient and can flourish in challenging environments with minimal water, and you often don’t need to use pesticides when growing it. Of course, this doesn’t mean that all flax and linen is grown without pesticides or poor farming practices. But you can usually trust organic-certified brands to follow earth-friendly agricultural standards.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Chadner Navarro is an experienced travel writer who loves linen clothing. He once wore a linen shirt completely into the ground after taking it all over the world for seven years, despite owning a dozen other linen shirts. For this article, he researched the market’s best-looking and best-quality linen clothing brands, narrowing them down to the ones that he believes will best suit the needs of the modern traveler.

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The 11 Best Linen Clothing Brands of 2024