Silk vs Linen: How We Use Each Fabric at Studio Afuera

Silk or linen? It is one of the most common questions we get. The honest answer is that we do not see them as rivals. They do different jobs, and we use each one for what it does best. Here is how we work with both, where they come from, and how to choose.

Linen: for our daytime sets

Our linen comes from Italy, and our linen pieces are made in Lisbon. Linen is a fabric for daylight: it breathes, it keeps you cool and it gets softer with every wash. It also creases, and we like that. It gives the fabric a relaxed, lived-in feel.

That is why we use it for our printed shirt-and-trouser sets, the pieces you can wear from a morning market to a long lunch outside. Sets like Loli, Cariño and La Mesa carry original Studio Afuera artwork, inspired by the colours, food and streets of Peru. Every piece is unisex.

Silk: for our hand-painted pieces

Our silk comes from China. Silk has a fluidity and a sheen that linen does not, and it holds colour in a way that makes painted artwork glow. We use it for the pieces that start life as hand-painted drawings, which we then print onto silk in our studio.

Our silk shirts, trousers and shorts, like the Azul silk shirt and Azul trousers, are made for evenings and warmer nights. Our silk scarves, like The Twins, are small artworks in themselves.

Nothing wasted: our silk wraps

Silk is precious, so we try not to waste any of it. Our silk wraps are made from the leftovers of our other silk pieces. They are light enough to fold into a bag and versatile enough to wear as a scarf, a top or a sarong. Try the Ocean, Azul or Moss wraps.

So, which one should you choose?

Choose linen if you want something for the day, for heat and for everyday wear, something relaxed that gets better with age.

Choose silk if you want something for the evening, for travel or for a special moment, a piece that feels like wearing a painting.

Or wear both. A silk shirt over linen trousers, or a silk scarf tied over a linen set, is one of our favourite ways to mix the two.

How to care for them

Linen: wash cool, inside out to protect the print, and dry on a hanger. Iron while slightly damp if you prefer it smooth.

Silk: hand wash in cold water with a gentle detergent, or dry clean. Never wring it. Dry flat, away from direct sunlight, and iron on a low setting, inside out.

Two fabrics, one world

Whether it is Italian linen cut in Lisbon or silk carrying a hand-painted drawing, every piece we make starts from the same place: our memories of Peru, seen from somewhere else, and made to be worn in a new way.