Japanese Print Linen Tablecloth

Linen behaves differently from cotton on a table. It falls in heavier folds, it creases in a way that reads as relaxed rather than untidy, and it takes print with a slightly grainy softness because the fibre itself is irregular. This cloth is woven from 100% linen and carries one of three Japanese-inspired prints: a repeating wave, a fanned sector motif, and a fine check. All three are drawn small enough that they sit under plates and glasses rather than competing with them.

The cloth is 140cm wide and comes in three lengths. At 220cm it suits a four to six seater and leaves a modest overhang. At 240cm it covers a six seater comfortably with a proper drop at each end. At 260cm it is intended for a long eight seater or a kitchen island used for eating. Measure your table and add roughly 20 to 25cm at each end for the drop, which is the point at which a cloth stops looking like a sheet and starts looking dressed.

This is uncoated linen with no wipe-clean finish, so it is a cloth for laying and laundering rather than sponging down after every meal. Deal with spills promptly by blotting rather than rubbing. Machine wash warm, and either iron while slightly damp for a crisp finish or let it dry naturally if you prefer the softer, lived-in look that linen does better than any other fibre.

• Material: 100% woven linen
• Width: 140cm
• Lengths: 220cm, 240cm and 260cm
• Prints: waves, sector and check
• Uncoated linen with no wipe-clean finish
• Machine washable; iron while slightly damp for a crisp finish