Linen - From Ancient Agriculture to Custom-Made Shirts

With its soft, sensuous feel, rock-hard durability and unrivalled comfort, it's no wonder that linen has been the fabric of choice among discerning men for thousands of years.

Of course, as with all great inventions, the origin of linen has been the topic of many heated debates among historians. Some say that the evidence of this ancient cloth can be traced as far back as 7000-8000 B.C. in Mesopotamia and Turkey, while others claim that the ancient Egyptians domesticated the flax plant about 5,000 years ago when they developed the labor-intensive process of transforming the tough, fibrous stems into a luxurious, highly sought-after fabric.

Made from the stalks of the flax plant, linen is indisputably the most ecologically friendly of all the fabrics: the flax plant requires no irrigation and is rarely treated with chemicals or pesticides. Every part of the plant is used - the seeds are transformed into oils, medicine and food products.

Aside from the fact that it looks and feels great (and like a good wine, linen shirts get better with age), linen boasts some enviable qualities. It is naturally hypoallergenic, lint-free and best of all, it's the hands-down most breathable fabric on the planet. With frequent wear tailor made linen shirts develop an unmistakable patina, which explains why men refuse to give up their old, well-worn linen shirts.

Here at Vitruvien, linen tops the ranks as our most popular fabric for our custom-made shirts, thanks in part to the fact that we don't just use any linen in our tailor-made products, we use only top-shelf linen made from genuine Belgium flax seeds.

Why? Because we’ve searched the world over, and we’ve concluded that a custom made Linen shirt is quite simply the most luxurious option on the planet!

Why buy custom shirts?

Off the rack is for the rest of the pack! And surely not for the customers of Vitruvien.

So whats the deal with custom shirts? For starters, the fit. Why settle for a little too short a sleeve or a little to baggy a shirt when this age of internet enables otherwise – when you can buy personalized shirts online? And then, the myriad customization options - from French cuffs, to Chinese collars to personalized shirt monograms. The world is your pallete, when it comes to tailor made shirts. And lastly, the finish. When your custom tailored shirt is hand cut with elegance, crafted with German & Japanese interlinings and produced under strict quality control, the result is likely to be close to Da Vinci’s Vitruvian perfection.

About Vitruvien’s made-to-measure shirts

Inspired by Da Vinci’s rendition of the perfect man, Vitruvien’s ambition is to blend art and science, fit and fashion to craft the perfect bespoke shirt for its customers. Hand cut from the finest Egyptian cotton fabrics, Vitruvien’s custom shirts are tailored to perfection using state of the art technology. Design your own tailor made shirt with innumerable styles to choose from. Personalize your shirt with a monogram and make it truly one in a million. And since it is custom – you can be rest assured that no matter what your size, we will always have your fit.