We’re drawn to timeless materials and made-to-last craftsmanship. Naturally, that leads us to linen. Particularly, Fog Linen. Created by Yumiko Sekine in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, the line of home goods and clothing was born of her desire to find affordable everyday linens that she loved in her childhood.
Partner:
To start her journey, Sekine visited Lithuania, a country known for linen production since the Middle Ages. That’s because it grows flax, a plant from which fibers are spun into linen. Remarkably, she discovered there weren’t a lot of linen goods in Lithuanian stores, which inspired her to produce her own product designs right there in Lithuania.
Process:
Indeed, things began with a DIY spirit, with Sekine first dabbling in things for her own apartment, like an apron and a cover for her teapot. That eventually expanded to include kitchen cloth and pot holder. As Sekine’s own living spaces grew and her needs evolved, her Fog Linen collection grew. Today, after more than a dozen years in business, that personal feel shines through in each of the products.
Like us, Sekine believes in thoughtful design — simple yet mood-evoking. We also both share a love of neutral color palettes and high-quality materials. While small, these pieces have noticeable impact. And purpose, too. Latch on to their utilitarian spirit and use them day after day.
Product:
We’re proud to carry Fog Linen dishtowels. The newest arrival is the Herringbone dishtowel, richly woven in taupe and black to complement any setting. While it dries dishes and hands with ease, the beautiful design may have you wanting to display it front and center as a dinner napkin as well.
A few more reasons we love linen (and you should too)…
Linen is extremely ecofriendly. Think of these dishtowels as alternatives to paper towels. Every year, Americans use more than 13 billion pounds of paper towels, which leads to over 3,000 tons of waste. If each U.S. household used one less 70-sheet roll of paper towels, 554,000 trees could be saved every year. Linen is also fully biodegradable. Plus, it can absorb as much as 20% of its weight in moisture before feeling wet. Keep it on hand in the kitchen to clean up quick spills.
Not only will it save you from the endless cycle of paper towels, but it’s built to last. You can feel its thickness. In fact, linen is 30% stronger than cotton so it will hold up, no matter the mess. While durable, linen is ultra-soft. It may be crisp on first touch, but the more you wash linen, the more supple and soft it gets.
Shop the rest of our Fog Linen assortment where you’ll discover stripes, dashes, and chambray that can be mixed and matched.