Linen vs Cotton Voile: How Weave, Weight and Sheerness Affect Feel
Two summer loves, side by side: how linen and cotton voile differ in weave, weight, sheerness and feel, and how to choose between them.
In this guide
In short: Linen is woven from flax and has texture, body and more coverage, while cotton voile is a fine, featherlight, semi-sheer cotton weave that feels soft and floaty. Both are natural and breathable, so the right choice comes down to the feel you love.
When the days grow long and warm, two fabrics fill our summer wardrobes: crisp, textured linen and soft, floaty cotton voile. Both are natural, breathable and made for sunshine, yet they feel quite different on the skin. Here we compare linen and cotton voile side by side, from weave and weight to sheerness, creasing and care, so you can choose the one that feels just right for you, or happily wear both.
What is linen?
Linen is woven from the long fibres of the flax plant. Its yarns are naturally a little uneven, with tiny slubs that give linen its beautifully textured look. Our European linen is woven from flax grown in Europe, much of it EUROPEAN FLAX® certified. Read more in our guide to what linen is.
What is cotton voile?
Cotton voile is a lightweight, plain-woven fabric made from fine, tightly twisted cotton yarns. The result is soft, smooth and featherlight, with a gentle sheerness. Our cotton voile pieces are 100% cotton voile, and you'll find more in our guide to cotton voile.
Linen vs cotton voile at a glance
| Linen | Cotton voile | |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre | Flax | Cotton |
| Weave | Plain weave with natural slubs | Fine plain weave of tightly twisted yarns |
| Weight | Light to medium | Featherlight |
| Sheerness | Mostly opaque | Semi-sheer, especially in light colours |
| Feel | Crisp at first, softening with every wash | Soft and floaty from the first wear |
| Creasing | Creases softly, part of its charm | Creases lightly |
Weave: how each fabric is made
Both linen and voile are usually plain weaves, where threads cross simply over and under each other. The difference is in the yarn. Linen's flax yarns are thicker and slightly irregular, so the fabric has body and a natural texture you can see and feel. Voile's cotton yarns are fine and tightly twisted, so the fabric is smooth, light and airy, almost like a breath of fabric.
Weight and drape
Voile is the lighter of the two, so it floats and moves with the breeze. Our THALIA cotton voile shirt, with its oversized raglan bell sleeves, and our CALLIE voile midi dress show how softly voile drapes. Linen has a little more structure, so it holds shapes beautifully: think of the relaxed, boyfriend fit of our KIRRA linen shirt or the bell sleeves of ROWAN.
Sheerness: is cotton voile see-through?
Cotton voile is semi-sheer. Lighter colours like ivory show more; deeper colours like chocolate or khaki give more coverage. Many of us love that softness, and a cami underneath, such as our cami tops, is an easy way to wear it. Linen is mostly opaque, so it's a lovely choice when you'd like a little more coverage on its own.
Feel on the skin
Linen feels crisp and cool to the touch when new, and grows softer and more supple with every wash and wear. Voile feels soft and smooth from the very first day. Both are natural, breathable fibres, so both are lovely in warm weather; which one feels best is truly personal. Some of us adore linen's texture, others reach for voile's whisper-soft drape.
Creasing
Linen creases softly, giving it that relaxed, lived-in elegance; a quick steam smooths it if you prefer. Voile creases more lightly, and its fine weave means it often relaxes as you wear it.
Caring for linen and cotton voile
- Linen: most of our linen is machine wash cold, separately, on a gentle cycle; some pieces, like KIRRA, can be tumble dried on low. See our guide to how to wash linen clothes.
- Cotton voile: our voile labels read cold hand wash or machine wash separately, on a gentle cycle, with no bleach and a cool iron if necessary. Our voile pieces are quick to dry.
For both, dry in the shade rather than in hot, direct sun, and turn coloured pieces inside out to dry and iron, so their colours stay bright.
Which should you choose?
- Choose linen if you love natural texture, a little structure and more coverage: linen shirts, linen dresses and linen pants.
- Choose cotton voile if you love featherlight softness and a floaty, romantic feel: our cotton tops, cotton dresses and the embroidered BEATRICE dress.
- Or wear both together: a TILLY voile shirt with linen shorts or a linen skirt is pure summer.
Discover our cotton clothing and European linen collections.
Linen vs cotton voile FAQs
What is the difference between linen and cotton voile?
Linen is woven from flax and has texture and body; cotton voile is a fine, featherlight plain weave of cotton that feels soft and floaty.
Is cotton voile see-through?
It's semi-sheer, more so in lighter colours. A cami underneath gives more coverage.
Is linen or cotton cooler?
Both are natural, breathable fibres made for warm weather. Which feels coolest is personal: linen feels crisp and airy, voile featherlight and soft.
Does cotton voile crease?
Lightly. It creases less than linen, and often relaxes as you wear it.
How do I wash cotton voile?
Cold hand wash or machine wash separately on a gentle cycle, no bleach, and cool iron if necessary. Always follow the label.
