Let’s face it: We all want to live more sustainably. Incorporating ways to live with a lighter footprint is linked to protecting the environment, creating a safer future for our children, and maintaining a thriving world today. When we’re cognizant of how our lifestyle choices impact the world, we live healthier lives.

That said, the mere idea of “sustainability” can feel overwhelming. The term itself has been shorn of its meaning, eroded by overuse in marketing. In the face of mass production and consumerism, it can be daunting to know what sustainable choices mean, and where to begin making them. When we feel this way (and trust us, we often do) we look to those who live sustainability according to their beat. Enter: Tricia Rose. 

The founder of Rough Linen, a collection of bedding and lifestyle goods made of pure linen, Rose imbues a sense of timelessness and appreciation into her work. Her pieces are made with integrity and meant to last. The anchor of Rough Linen is in its name: pure linen made of flax grown without chemicals in Europe. In comparison to cotton, linen is superior in terms of sustainability and integrity. It requires less water to make (as does flax to grow), is naturally antibacterial, easier to care for, and completely biodegradable and recyclable. And as Rose tells us, linen's roots are democratic. “The kind of linen I love used to be a home product before the advent of slave-grown cotton,” she says.

Rose and her Rough Linen collection have us inspired to repatriate ourselves with the concept of sustainability. Looking at her ethos, one step is to lean into fewer things made of higher quality materials. As we recently collaborated with Rose for our ‘Cooking with Kids’ giveaway, we took a moment to ask her what true sustainability means. Her approach and her work stand as reminders that the things we bring into our lives leave an indelible mark on our future.

A Minute with Tricia Rose

What does sustainability truly mean to you? 

The essence of sustainability to me is paying attention. If you choose carefully before you buy, and enjoy choosing, so you understand why you want something in the first place, the whole process becomes miraculously simple, and you aren't besieged by meaningless options. You are aligned with your values.

There are copious options out there for synthetic or mixed fabrics. Why do you believe natural fabrics are better for our overall well-being?

Natural fabrics are biodegradable and inherently more wholesome than synthetics. Think of what we are learning about microfiber pollution. They tend to be more absorbent too, and they sit lightly on our skin.

For the person seeking to have a more thoughtful approach to the items they bring into their lives, what is your advice?

My wise old mother said ‘you can never have enough of what you don't really want.’ In other words, material things can't fill an emotional need. Things can delight us, and bring us great pleasure and comfort if we respect them. Let the things which don't serve us fall away. Sometimes we need a frivolous purchase! But there are no hard and fast rules; just awareness of our needs, time, and money, and how our choices impact other people.

You were inspired to start Rough Linen after discovering an heirloom linen item at your family’s home in Scotland. Take us back to what you discovered and how it spoke to you…

I was clearing the old stone cottage in Scotland my grandparents had bought seventy years earlier, and it was full of treasures. They valued skill and craft and looked after their possessions. In the traditional linen press, there were carefully mended and folded sets of linens—sadly too small for modern beds—and one natural linen homespun pillowcase, woven by my great great grandmother from flax grown on her smallholding. It was soft yet textured, and it was so evocative of my childhood and the loving care I felt in their house. So I brought it home with me.

When I found a natural linen with the same weight and texture I had to make bedding from it, and it gave me the same blissful sleep and sense of belonging I had all those years ago. Friends admired it too, so I made more, and it snowballed.

To learn more about Tricia Rose and Rough Linen, visit roughlinen.com.

And be sure to download our Cooking with Kids Guide here.