Batillo Washed Linen Tablecloth

Linen is the only tablecloth fabric that looks better creased, which is exactly why it suits the way people actually eat. This one is washed before it is cut, so it arrives already soft and already relaxed rather than stiff with dressing, and it falls over a table edge in the heavy loose folds that a cotton cloth never quite manages.

Four colours are all muted rather than saturated - a soft blue, a grey-green, a warm apricot and a dusty rose - which means they sit with almost any tableware instead of competing with it. Four sizes run from a small square for a kitchen or bistro table up to a generous 140cm that will cover a four-seat table with a proper drop. The two rectangular options suit longer tables and garden benches.

It is equally at home outdoors, where linen's weight keeps it from lifting in a breeze better than a light cotton. Wash warm and line dry; linen dries fast and softens further with every wash. Iron while slightly damp if you want it crisp, or leave it entirely - the relaxed finish is the point of the fabric. Expect slight shrinkage on the first wash. Fold it loosely rather than pressing it into sharp creases, which will eventually wear the fibres along the fold line.

• Pre-washed linen tablecloth with a soft, relaxed drape
• Four muted colours: blue, green, apricot and rose
• Four sizes from 90 x 90cm to 140 x 140cm, including two rectangles
• Suitable for indoor tables and garden dining
• Machine washable warm; line dry and iron slightly damp if desired
• Expect slight shrinkage on the first wash, as with all linen