[Ansteorra] Suitable breathing armor

[Elizabeth Crouchet]

My understanding is that modern linen is made from flax but that in much of
our period the word linen referred to fabrics made from Flax, Hemp or Nettle
interchangeably.

All these fabrics are made from the stems of these plants unlike cotton
which is made from the fruit of the plant. So I might guess that they would
have similar properties but I would have read about it or test it to be
sure.

Bamboo is also showing up as fabric now and seems to feel just soft and
dreamy. I have no idea how it would test out but it would be worth trying
for similar reasons.

Hemp may indeed more durable, that is what they make rope out of.

Claire



On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 10:04 AM, Haraldr Bassi <
ansteorra at haraldr.drakkar.org> wrote:

> The best alternative to linen and probably a superior product for
> durability, is hemp. Though it is much harder to find and consequently much
> more expensive. I don't know the armor results that people I had sold hemp
> cloth to back in the East had or even if they had used it for rapier armor.
> Hemp cloth is starting to show up in some on-line sources. Hemp and nettle
> cloth are virtually indistinguishable in archeology reports from linen, but
> were most definitely available.
>
> Haraldr
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