Frequently Asked Questions
Are all the Life-giving Linen products made from organic linen?
If a product is listed on our site as made from organic linen, then it is indeed made from organic linen. Our bedding, crib sheets, and men's and women's underwear are offered in both organic and OEKO-TEX (Lithuania) fabrics. Our t-shirt style bras and men's and women's t-shirts are made from both an organic (beige) and an OEKO-TEX (turquoise) knit linen. To learn more about our organic fabric, you can refer to the Organic Linen Fabric page and refer to the GOTS certification criteria listed below. To learn more about the OEKO-TEX certification, refer to those criteria also given below.
If a product is listed on our site as made from organic linen, then it is indeed made from organic linen. Our bedding, crib sheets, and men's and women's underwear are offered in both organic and OEKO-TEX (Lithuania) fabrics. Our t-shirt style bras and men's and women's t-shirts are made from both an organic (beige) and an OEKO-TEX (turquoise) knit linen. To learn more about our organic fabric, you can refer to the Organic Linen Fabric page and refer to the GOTS certification criteria listed below. To learn more about the OEKO-TEX certification, refer to those criteria also given below.
What does GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification mean?
GOTS is an internationally recognized certification that ensures the organic status of a textile. A GOTS-certified fabric is much more than a product made from organic fibers. The fibers are evaluated starting from how the raw material is produced in the field and includes the entire production process. Processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and distribution are considered. Besides the requirements of organic fiber, GOTS prohibits entire classes of chemicals in production such as heavy metals. The goal is to prohibit any chemicals that pose risk to human health. Environmental concerns are addressed also. For instance, wastewater treatment must be present before discharge to surface waters. In addition, labor practices and working conditions are considered in accordance with the International Labor Organization. To read more about GOTS certification go to: https://global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html.
What does OEKO-TEX Certification mean?
OEKO-TEX is a safety standard that has been in use since 1992 and is designed to ensure that fabrics pose no risk to human health. OEKO-TEX prohibits the same list of chemicals that GOTS prohibits. Both GOTS and OEKO-TEX prohibit the use of toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, flame retardants, pesticides, azo dyes, and carcinogenic and allergy-inducing dyes. OEKO-TEX certified fabrics are required to have a skin friendly pH. GOTS also focuses on groundwater pollution and labor practices. OEKO-TEX does not address all the production steps but officially tests the final product to ensure compliance. To obtain certification, the product must go through testing for a lengthy list of chemicals including lead, antimony, arsenic, phthalates, pesticides, and chlorinated phenols. To read more about OEKO-TEX certification go to:
https://www.oekotex.com/en/business/certifications_and_services/ots_100/ots_100_start.xhtml
Our OEKO-TEX fabric is offered in natural, blue, and gray and is sourced from Lithuania.
https://www.oekotex.com/en/business/certifications_and_services/ots_100/ots_100_start.xhtml
Our OEKO-TEX fabric is offered in natural, blue, and gray and is sourced from Lithuania.
Are your products made in the USA?
All our fabrics are carefully chosen with attention to the chemicals used, the manufacturing processes, and the labor involved. Our products are made in the USA with a small team of qualified seamstresses who are paid fair wages. We sew your orders individually with attention to detail.
How do I wash my Life-giving Linen products?
We recommend gentle cycle, line dry for the longest lasting option, but you can wash linens with a regular load and dry briefly in the dryer on low heat if you don't mind the lifespan not being as long.
Linen sheds lint (the word lint actually comes from linen), so the more it is dried in a dryer, the more fibers come out of the fabric and the longevity is shortened. If you absolutely have to, you can dry briefly in the dryer (linen dries faster than other fabrics, so watch it closely) and then lay it over a shower rod to dry the rest of the way.
For detergent, we recommend using a natural brand from a health food store for all your clothes (not just linen) because of the cancer-causing dioxins that are in main name brand detergents.
We recommend gentle cycle, line dry for the longest lasting option, but you can wash linens with a regular load and dry briefly in the dryer on low heat if you don't mind the lifespan not being as long.
Linen sheds lint (the word lint actually comes from linen), so the more it is dried in a dryer, the more fibers come out of the fabric and the longevity is shortened. If you absolutely have to, you can dry briefly in the dryer (linen dries faster than other fabrics, so watch it closely) and then lay it over a shower rod to dry the rest of the way.
For detergent, we recommend using a natural brand from a health food store for all your clothes (not just linen) because of the cancer-causing dioxins that are in main name brand detergents.
Do you accept returns?
Due to the nature of our products, few returns are accepted, especially those that have been worn or used. In the instance of a size discrepancy, we can make returns/exchanges provided you follow our "try-on" policy. Other unused, unwashed products can be returned or exchanged. Also note that we do not cover the cost to ship returns back unless it is our error. Please do contact us if you are not satisfied with your order and we will do all we can to make it right. We aim to please.
Due to the nature of our products, few returns are accepted, especially those that have been worn or used. In the instance of a size discrepancy, we can make returns/exchanges provided you follow our "try-on" policy. Other unused, unwashed products can be returned or exchanged. Also note that we do not cover the cost to ship returns back unless it is our error. Please do contact us if you are not satisfied with your order and we will do all we can to make it right. We aim to please.
How do other fibers affect the benefits of linen?
While the ideal is to aim for sleeping on and wearing 100% linen, we often are questioned about whether linen is still helpful if you wear garments or sleep on bedding made of other materials. The best thing to aim for is always have linen next to your skin (linen undergarments and pillowcases). After that, remember not to mix animal (wool, cashmere) and plant (cotton, hemp, linen) fibers. Other plant-based fibers with linen seem to not reduce the efficacy of linen. So, it seems to be fine to wear or sleep on cotton or any other natural plant fiber (latex pillows, even down comforters are ok) with linen as long as the linen is next to your skin.
Cotton (especially organic cotton) and linen are a good choice together. Plant and animal fibers cancel each other out but plant and plant are good together. (The exception to this is down. Down is also good with linen.)
All the Bible says is to not put a garment woven of two different kinds of material on you. That's from Leviticus 19:19. The KJV reads: "neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee" while NIV puts it this way: "Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material." The key word is "kinds"—think of a biology tree of genus or species, animal and plant are two different kinds.
While the ideal is to aim for sleeping on and wearing 100% linen, we often are questioned about whether linen is still helpful if you wear garments or sleep on bedding made of other materials. The best thing to aim for is always have linen next to your skin (linen undergarments and pillowcases). After that, remember not to mix animal (wool, cashmere) and plant (cotton, hemp, linen) fibers. Other plant-based fibers with linen seem to not reduce the efficacy of linen. So, it seems to be fine to wear or sleep on cotton or any other natural plant fiber (latex pillows, even down comforters are ok) with linen as long as the linen is next to your skin.
Cotton (especially organic cotton) and linen are a good choice together. Plant and animal fibers cancel each other out but plant and plant are good together. (The exception to this is down. Down is also good with linen.)
All the Bible says is to not put a garment woven of two different kinds of material on you. That's from Leviticus 19:19. The KJV reads: "neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee" while NIV puts it this way: "Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material." The key word is "kinds"—think of a biology tree of genus or species, animal and plant are two different kinds.
How do I pay by credit card instead of PayPal?
You can order with your credit card through the PayPal checkout. To do this, when you have what you want in your cart, click "check out" (left) instead of "check out with PayPal":
You can order with your credit card through the PayPal checkout. To do this, when you have what you want in your cart, click "check out" (left) instead of "check out with PayPal":
Then click "Pay with a bank account, debit or credit card..." at the bottom.
What is your current shipping rate structure?
As of February 9, 2023 we have significantly reduced our customary domestic shipping rates. Here are the current rates:
$0 - $74.99 -- $7
$75 - $124.99 -- $9
$125 - $199.99 -- $12
$200 - $349.99 -- $14
$350 and up -- $18
$0 - $74.99 -- $7
$75 - $124.99 -- $9
$125 - $199.99 -- $12
$200 - $349.99 -- $14
$350 and up -- $18
What kind of thread do you use?
We use top-of-the-line Gutermann thread to sew our products. It is not linen, because linen thread is very difficult to work with (constantly breaks, and is hard on a sewing machine). Since the stitching makes up such a minuscule portion of the entire product, it doesn't seem to affect the health benefits.
We use top-of-the-line Gutermann thread to sew our products. It is not linen, because linen thread is very difficult to work with (constantly breaks, and is hard on a sewing machine). Since the stitching makes up such a minuscule portion of the entire product, it doesn't seem to affect the health benefits.