Linen, made from flax yarn, is a strong but breathable material essential for your summer wardrobe. Unfortunately, finding linen garments made in the USA is a huge challenge. A fair amount of linen clothing manufacturing takes place domestically, but except in rare cases, the fabric is imported.
We found one pair of linen trousers for women sewn in the USA using domestic fabric. See more information on them below and some other garments manufactured in the USA using overseas linen.
Complete List of Linen Clothing Brands Made in the USA
We found just one linen garment on the LA Relaxed website: the Washed Linen Trouser for women. These pants only come in black. However, they are made in the USA from California-sourced linen. Hooray!
American Giant makes some linen garments in the USA, including shirts, shorts, pants, and dresses. However, the material is imported.
American Trench has a few linen clothing items, such as shirts and pants, that are sewn in Los Angeles, but the fabric is imported from Japan.
This women’s clothing brand has some gorgeous linen blend garments that are described on its website as “Made in the USA.” Among the choices are dresses, shirts, pants, and shorts. However, the Bailey 44 website doesn’t indicate the country of origin for the fabrics.
Todd Shelton makes some beautiful linen dress shirts in New Jersey, but the fabric comes from Portugal.
This women’s clothing brand has a Black Liz linen blouse advertised on its website that is made in New York City. However, there is no indication as to where the fabric was sourced from. We’re following up with their team, but it is likely imported.
Hardwick has designed men’s suits since 1880. However, although this brand makes a lot of noise about sewing its garments in the USA, some of its suits, dress pants, and other clothing are made with imported material. They have men’s sports coats that are 65% linen and 35% wool.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Linen Clothing
How to Find Linen Clothes Made in the USA
Finding the country of origin for any product isn’t easy, particularly if you can’t find it in a store where you can see the tag. Below are our tips for discovering where a piece of linen clothing is made.
For more information on shopping for made in the USA products, check out our made in the USA labeling explainer guide.
Let’s dive into material sourcing for linen clothing manufacturing.
Materials
Linen fabric is primarily made from flax plants, a fibrous material used in a wide variety of products. Some clothing manufacturers also incorporate other raw materials into their linen textiles, which we included below as well. Here’s a breakdown of where linen materials come from.
Linen
The world’s first linen came from China, and that country still leads all others in flax yarn exports. Italy and Tunisia are also key linen producers. Sadly, the U.S. lacks any significant linen-making industry.
Flax plants are produced on around 12 million acres globally. In 2021, the U.S. planted roughly 268,000 acres of flax, or 2.2% of global production. However, most of the flax grown in the U.S. (primarily in North Dakota and Montana) is used for non-clothing-related goods and food.
So, if you want linen clothes that are completely made here, your search will be long. However, great organizations like AmeriFlax are supporting the growth of the American flax industry, so if you’re interested in learning more or helping out, definitely give them a look.
Cotton
Cotton, another breathable material, is commonly blended with linen to make garments. Cotton is much easier to find domestically because the United States ranks third in production of this material, behind China and India.
Wool
Wool is sometimes blended with linen to make clothing. Much of the world’s wool comes from Australia, but around 17% is produced in the U.S.
What Does “Made in the USA” Mean?
Fortunately for shoppers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) protects the use of the phrase “made in the USA” in advertising. The FTC defines “made in the USA” as “all or virtually all” made in the United States. This also applies to materials sourcing. In other words, a brand can’t import the materials for its products and claim they are “made in the USA,” even if the products are manufactured here.
Labeling
Another way to determine where products are made is by checking out the label. Fortunately, Title 19, Chapter 4, Section 1304 of the U.S. Code mandates that imported goods be labeled with their country of origin on the product or its packaging. That’s a great help if you are shopping locally and can look at the physical item. However, this regulation doesn’t apply to a brand’s website or its promotional materials. Companies can decide for themselves when it comes to online disclosure of where their goods are manufactured.
If you have no choice but to shop online and you don’t find the country of origin for the product there, you can email the brand or, better yet, call them. Be sure to ask where the item was manufactured and where the materials come from.
More Tips
Here are some final tips for finding linen clothing and anything else made in the USA.
First, don’t assume a product was made here just because you see the American flag on it or if Old Glory is used in the brand’s logo. The government doesn’t regulate the use of the flag’s image, so companies are free to use it even if their goods aren’t made in the USA.
Also, be on the lookout for phrases such as “sewn in the USA” or “assembled in the USA” because they likely mean some of the materials are imported. Remember to look for the exact phrase “Made in the USA.”
Linen Clothing Brands Not Made in the USA
Below are some well-known brands that don’t make their linen clothing domestically. We will continuously update this list as we find more companies importing linen garments.
- Vineyard Vines – Their linen clothes are imported from countries such as Peru and Vietnam.
- Bonobos – This brand’s linen garments are imported, mainly from India and Vietnam.
- J. Crew – J. Crew’s linen clothing is made overseas.
- Gitman Bros. – The fabric for their shirts, including linen ones, is imported from Europe.
- Ralph Lauren – All Ralph Lauren linen clothing is imported.
- Everlane – Their linen garments are made in Vietnam.
- Abercrombie & Fitch – Their linen clothes are imported.
- American Eagle – This brand’s linen clothing is imported.
- Anthropologie – Their linen garments are imported.
- Buckle – This company imports its linen clothes.
- Lulus – Their linen clothing is imported.
- Reformation – This brand’s linen garments are made overseas.
- LoveShackFancy – Their linen garments are imported.
- Zara – Zara’s linen clothes are made overseas.
- Uniqlo – The linen for their clothing is cultivated overseas, mainly in Europe.
