Skip to main content
May 18, 2023

It's time to shine a spotlight on some of the unsung heroes of our linen homeware collection. You know – those pieces that work hard for years, don't demand any special attention and bring a simple elegance to your home without shouting about it. Meet our Lara linen placemats: happy to be centre of attention but equally brilliant creating the perfect backdrop to any meal. And what's more, they have impeccable eco-friendly credentials too.

Find out why we love them, and discover their hidden talents.

 hand woven placemat

How we make our linen placemats

The idea for our Lara placemats came from the offcuts we were increasingly left with after creating products in special sizes. At LinenMe we're committed to reducing waste and being as sustainable as possible, so we didn't want to throw these scraps away. Too small to turn into bags (like some of our LinenUs collection), they required some thought.

scraps of linen fabric

Bringing our talent for design and innovation alongside our artisans' skills, we decided to create woven linen placemats. Each one is made from 100% pure linen - both fabric and threads. They are woven by hand and one worker can only produce 5-6 per day. So every piece is made with care and true craftsmanship. A world away from the mass-produced, cheaply made, unsustainable and poor quality products that often make all the noise.

It is estimated that around 92 million tonnes of textiles end up in landfill every year. To help you picture this, imagine the combined mass of 92 million giraffes or adult male moose, and that's the quantity we're discarding annually. And shocking though this statistic is, it's still on the rise.

We can all play our part in stopping such a horrifying amount of waste accumulating. Buying less, but better quality. Re-using and repurposing. Donating unwanted textiles to goodwill or second hand stores. Organising clothes swaps. Learning to mend and darn. Buying pre-loved products rather than brand new. These all make a difference. But it's also up to major retailers and fashion brands to tackle their production waste and the way they make their textiles. Which is why we set up LinenUs, to reuse offcuts and achieve zero waste. And it's why we love our Lara linen placemats so much.

hand weaving from linen

The benefits of linen placemats at a glance

Many of us already use tablecloths and linen runners, but what are the benefits of linen placemats?

  • They protect your table from hot plates and scrapes
  • They bring a pop of colour and texture to your table setting
  • Our table linens are machine washable and easy to care for
  • Linen is naturally dirt-repellent and resists stains
  • We use high quality fabric that's both durable and beautiful
  • They are non-bulky and easy to store
  • You can choose from 20 colourways, so you'll find the perfect match for your décor and aesthetic
  • Mix with different coloured napkins for a bold table setting or pair with matching pieces for a pulled-together look
  • You can use them everyday, not just for dinner parties or fancy meals

Setting the table with history

hand loom linen placemat tableware

We weave our Lara linen placemats on a loom, which is 100 years old and belongs to Inga's grandmother. We're proud to be a family business and bring three generations of expertise and knowledge of working with linen to every product you buy. Linen is our life's work, and your placemats are part of this rich heritage.

From our family to yours – make every meal an occasion for celebrating what's really important.

Linen Placemat Natural Black Lara  Linen Placemat Natural Lara

Linen Placemat Stone Blue Lara  Linen Placemat Teal Lara

Linen Placemat Citrine Lara  Linen Placemat Balsam Green Lara

 

Post comment

Post comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.