Linen feels cool and dry to the touch. Its natural appearance has a silk-matte gloss to it. Linen has something noble and yet austere about it, which lends it an air of refinement which is both genuine and timeless. Indeed the most important property of linen in daily life is its cooling effect on the skin and the consequent reduction in sweat. The fibers absorb up to 35% of their own weight in water, which they can take in and then quickly release into the air.