The nettle that learned to drape

most women have never touched ramie. most of the ones who have thought it was linen.

Ramie fabric is a natural fiber spun from the inner bark of a nettle plant, Boehmeria nivea, sometimes called China grass. It has a similar strength to linen, but a soft natural sheen that linen does not have and a heavier, more structured drape. Ramie breathes, dries quickly, takes botanical dye beautifully, and softens noticeably over its first few washes. If you love linen but want a fabric with more weight and more presence, ramie is the fiber to know.

Here is what it is, how ramie compares to linen, and why we chose it for a gown whose sleeve has to hold a fold.

What is ramie fabric made from?

Ramie comes from a plant in the nettle family, though this one has no sting. The fiber sits in the inner bark of the stalk. It is stripped, cleaned and spun into long, smooth threads, and those long fibers are what give the finished cloth its even weave and quiet luster.

The plant grows fast. It can be harvested several times a year, and it generally needs little in the way of pesticides to thrive. Ramie has been woven for thousands of years across East Asia, long before most of the fabrics in a modern wardrobe existed.

Why does ramie hold its shape?

Ramie and linen are close in strength, so the difference is not durability. It is the weight of the fiber and how it hangs. Ramie is heavier in the hand and a little firmer, and in a garment that shows up as structure. It keeps a line where you ask it to, where linen would let it go.

That is exactly why we cut the Ramie Botanical Origami Gown from it. The Origami sleeve is wide and folded at the arm the way paper is folded, and a fold like that needs a fiber willing to hold it. Linen would soften it into a drift. Ramie keeps the architecture.

Ramie vs linen: how do they compare?

Both are bast fibers, taken from the stalk of a plant, and at a glance they look alike. On the body they behave very differently.

To be honest about it, linen still wins on the stickiest, most humid days and on softness straight out of the parcel. Ramie wins on structure and sheen. Most women who love linen do not need to choose between them. They need to know when to reach for each.

New in Matcha Ramie Botanical Origami Gown 100% ramie, botanically dyed by hand in Bali. $333 See the gown

How does ramie feel to wear?

The first time you put on a ramie garment it feels firmer than linen, a little like the spine of a new book. That is the fiber's structure showing. Over the first few washes it relaxes dramatically, and the drape drops into something with real gravity, moving about half a beat after you do.

If you want that fluid drape from the first day, wash the piece once before you wear it. Against the skin ramie is cool and dry, which is why it lives so easily in Bali heat.

Why does ramie take botanical dye so well?

Ramie fiber is naturally white and absorbs dye readily, which makes it an unusually generous canvas for plant color. Our new Matcha colorway is a green botanical dye with a yin and yang inspired design, hand applied in small batches in Bali. Because it is applied by hand, no two gowns carry it the same way.

Botanical dye also keeps living after it leaves us. The color deepens and shifts with time. That is not fading. It is the dye continuing to settle into the fiber, and a ramie gown will be more beautiful in a year than it is on the day it arrives.

How do you care for ramie clothing?

• Hand wash cold and hang to dry, out of harsh direct sun to protect a botanical dye.
• Store it hanging rather than folded tightly. Ramie can weaken if it is creased in exactly the same place again and again.
• Steam if you want it smooth. The creases are part of the fiber telling the truth about itself.

Worn together Ramie Origami Gown + Kundalini Playsuit Set The gown worn open over the playsuit, as photographed. $588 See the set

Frequently asked questions

Is ramie the same as linen?

No. Linen is made from flax and ramie is made from a nettle plant. Both are bast fibers of similar strength and they look alike, but ramie is heavier in the hand and carries a soft sheen that linen does not.

Is ramie good for hot weather?

Yes. Ramie is breathable, dries quickly and resists mildew, which makes it comfortable in tropical heat. Linen can feel slightly cooler on very humid days.

Does ramie wrinkle?

Yes, much like linen. Both are low stretch plant fibers, so creasing is natural. Hanging a ramie piece overnight or steaming it lightly smooths most of it.

Is ramie an eco-friendly fabric?

Ramie grows quickly, can be harvested several times a year, and generally needs few pesticides. Our Origami Gown is 100% ramie, dyed with botanicals by hand in Bali.

Does ramie shrink?

Ramie is naturally resistant to shrinking. Wash it cold and hang it to dry, as you would any botanically dyed piece, and it will keep its shape.

Ramie is not a replacement for linen. It is what comes after it, for the moments when you want your clothes to hold a line.

With love from Bali,
Myrah