Best Linen Tablecloths and Napkins for Dinner Parties

A good linen cloth is the cheapest way to make a table look deliberate. Buy it big enough, wash it without fear, and decide early whether you are an ironer.

By the Bonwits editorsUpdated September 25, 20264 picksSave to Pinterest

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Our top picks

4 picks, each linked to the exact listing

1
Best overallSolino Home 100% Linen Tablecloth, Classic Hemstitch, Natural, 60 x 90 in
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2
The easy-care blendSolino Home Cotton Linen Tablecloth, Hemstitch, White, 58 x 104 in
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3
For the long tableSolino Home 100% Linen Tablecloth, Fete, Natural, 60 x 108 in
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4
The napkinsSARO Lifestyle Refined Rustic Fringed Linen Napkins, Stonewashed, 20 in, Set of 4, Natural
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The linen tablecloth that earns its place at a dinner party

Linen is flax, and flax is a stubborn, handsome fiber. It is stronger than cotton, it takes a stain out more willingly than you would expect, and it softens with every wash instead of wearing thin. It also wrinkles. Everything about buying a linen tablecloth comes down to how you feel about that last fact.

Weight is the spec that matters most and the one makers publish least. A light cloth around 165 grams per square meter drapes softly and dries fast. A heavy cloth above 350 grams hangs like a curtain, hides the table beneath it and shrugs off creases better. Stonewashed or garment washed linen has already been beaten soft and shrunk before it reaches you, which is what you want on a cloth you plan to throw in the machine.

We looked for pure linen from makers who say plainly what the cloth is made of, in sizes that seat four to eight, with napkins to match. Prices are for a single cloth, and napkins are sold separately, because a tablecloth without matching napkins is only half a table.

How we chose

Fiber and weight. Pure linen over blends, with a published weight where the maker gives one. Heavier cloth hangs better; lighter cloth packs smaller and dries faster.
Finish. Stonewashed or garment washed cloth is pre-shrunk and soft on day one. Crisp, unwashed linen looks sharper but needs an iron and shrinks more on the first wash.
Size range. A cloth is only useful if it comes big enough for your table plus a proper drop. We favored makers with long rectangles and matching napkins.
Construction. Mitered corners and a deep hem keep a cloth flat and square through years of washing.
Care you can live with. Everything here is machine washable. We noted who says ironing is optional and who expects a hot iron on damp cloth.

We read makers’ specifications, warranties, care instructions and the sources listed at the end. We do not accept paid placements. How we choose

The 4 picks, in detail

Best overallNo. 1

Solino Home 100% Linen Tablecloth, Classic Hemstitch, Natural, 60 x 90 in

Our take. Pure European flax linen with a classic hemstitch, the right size for a table of four to eight, and softer every time it is washed.

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Keeps for: Decades; linen softens rather than wears
Fiber: 100% European flax linen
Size: 60 x 90 in, seats 4 to 8
Finish: Classic hemstitch, handcrafted
Certification: OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Care: Machine wash, low iron or steam as needed

Solino's Classic Hemstitch cloth is 100 percent European flax linen, certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100, and finished by hand with a hemstitch border. The light natural color is the unbleached shade of flax, which hides a faint wine mark better than bright white.

At 60 by 90 inches it fits the most common dining tables, seating four to eight, with a proper drop. It is machine washable, and Solino recommends a low iron or steam for a crisp table, or no iron at all if you like linen's relaxed wrinkle.

Skip it if you want a bright, formal white. Natural linen reads warm and relaxed, and each batch varies slightly in color and texture, which is part of its character.

The catch. Linen wrinkles, and natural flax varies from batch to batch, so buy napkins at the same time if you want an exact match.

The easy-care blendNo. 2

Solino Home Cotton Linen Tablecloth, Hemstitch, White, 58 x 104 in

Our take. A white hemstitched cloth in a cotton and linen blend: crisp on the table, easy in the machine, and big enough for a long table.

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Keeps for: Years of regular washing
Fiber: 75% cotton, 25% linen
Size: 58 x 104 in
Finish: Hemstitch border
Care: Machine wash gentle, tumble dry low, warm iron

This is Solino's everyday cloth: 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen, white, finished with a hemstitch border. The cotton makes it smoother and less prone to wrinkling than pure linen, while the linen gives it a little texture and weight.

At 58 by 104 inches it covers a 6 to 8 foot table with a generous drop, and it goes in the machine on a gentle cycle with a warm iron if you want sharp lines. Solino says to use only non-chlorine bleach, tumble dry low and take it out promptly.

Skip it if you want the soft, rumpled look of pure linen. A blend never softens the same way over the years, and on a candlelit table the difference shows.

The catch. A blend rather than pure linen, so it will not develop the softness that is linen's whole appeal.

For the long tableNo. 3

Solino Home 100% Linen Tablecloth, Fete, Natural, 60 x 108 in

Our take. The same pure flax linen in a longer cloth for a table of six to eight, with a plain finish that suits a holiday table.

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Keeps for: Decades; linen softens rather than wears
Fiber: 100% European flax linen
Size: 60 x 108 in, seats 6 to 8
Finish: Plain Fete edge, handcrafted
Certification: OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Care: Machine wash, low iron or steam as needed

Fete is Solino's plainer pure linen cloth: 100 percent European flax, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, in the natural shade. Without a hemstitch border, it looks a little more relaxed and modern than the Classic.

At 60 by 108 inches it is the size for an extended table at Thanksgiving or a long dinner party, with enough length for a real drop at each end. Solino also makes it longer still, at 144 inches, for a table with both leaves in.

Skip it if your table seats six or fewer. A cloth that pools at the ends looks careless rather than generous; the 60 by 90 inch Classic is the better fit.

The catch. Long cloths are a chore to iron, so decide before buying whether you will wear the wrinkles.

The napkinsNo. 4

SARO Lifestyle Refined Rustic Fringed Linen Napkins, Stonewashed, 20 in, Set of 4, Natural

Our take. Large, pure linen napkins, stonewashed soft and finished with a fringe, in a natural color that sits well with any cloth here.

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Keeps for: Years; napkins wear before the cloth does
Fiber: 100% linen, stonewashed
Size: 20 x 20 in
Edge: Fringed
Set: 4 napkins
Care: Cool machine wash, cool iron

These are 20 inch squares of 100 percent linen, stonewashed so they are soft from the first use and have already done most of their shrinking. The fringed edge gives them a relaxed, rustic finish that suits natural linen.

Twenty inches is a true dinner napkin, generous across a lap. The natural color pairs with Solino's natural linen cloths, and the set of four makes it easy to buy for the full table plus a couple of spares.

SARO suggests a cool wash and a cool iron, and recommends dry cleaning for best results. In practice, linen napkins meet red wine often, so treat stains the same night.

The catch. Fringed edges can tangle in the wash; a mesh laundry bag keeps them neat.

Compare the picks

Pick	Best for	Made in	Keeps for	Buy
Solino Home 100% Linen Tablecloth, Classic Hemstitch, Natural, 60 x 90 in	Best overall	Not stated	Decades; linen softens rather than wears	Check priceAmazon
Solino Home Cotton Linen Tablecloth, Hemstitch, White, 58 x 104 in	The easy-care blend	Not stated	Years of regular washing	Check priceAmazon
Solino Home 100% Linen Tablecloth, Fete, Natural, 60 x 108 in	For the long table	Not stated	Decades; linen softens rather than wears	Check priceAmazon
SARO Lifestyle Refined Rustic Fringed Linen Napkins, Stonewashed, 20 in, Set of 4, Natural	The napkins	Not stated	Years; napkins wear before the cloth does	Check priceAmazon

Compared.

Every comparison

Sizing the drop

The drop is how far the cloth hangs past the table edge. For a casual meal, 6 to 8 inches is common. For a dinner party, 10 to 15 inches looks deliberate and still clears laps. A cloth that reaches the floor is for buffets and weddings, not for a table people sit at.

The math is simple: table length plus twice the drop, by table width plus twice the drop. A 36 by 72 inch table with a 12 inch drop needs a 60 by 96 inch cloth. Between sizes, buy the larger one, and remember that unwashed linen can shrink on its first wash, while stonewashed and garment washed linen has already done most of its shrinking.

Washing and stains

Linen is happiest at warm, not hot. Many makers cap it at 40°C (104°F); others say cold or lukewarm. Use a mild detergent, no chlorine bleach, and no fabric softener, which coats the fiber and makes napkins smear instead of absorb.

Treat wine and gravy the same night with cold water and a stain remover, before the cloth goes in the machine. Heat from a dryer or an iron sets a stain that would otherwise have washed out.

To iron or not

There are two reasonable camps. The first pulls the cloth from the dryer while still damp, shakes it hard, and puts it straight on the table, where the weight of the cloth takes out most wrinkles within the hour. Heavy stonewashed linen suits this camp best.

The second irons on damp cloth with steam, which is what most linen makers recommend and what gives a formal table crisp lines. Either way, iron linen while damp. Bone dry linen fights the iron and wins.

Frequently asked questions

What size tablecloth do I need for a 6 foot table?

A 6 foot table is usually about 36 by 72 inches. Add twice your drop to each dimension: with a 12 inch drop you need about 60 by 96 inches. Standard 60 by 90 or 72 by 108 inch cloths both work.

Does linen shrink?

Unwashed linen can shrink noticeably on its first wash. Stonewashed and garment washed cloth, like the SARO napkins, has been washed before sale and shrinks much less. Washing warm rather than hot also helps.

Can linen napkins go in the dryer?

Yes, on low or medium. Every maker here allows it. Take them out slightly damp and fold them flat to avoid hard creases.

Is a linen blend worth it?

Blends wrinkle less and cost less, but they do not soften the same way over the years. Solino's Hemstitch blend, 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen, is a sensible cloth for everyday use; for a dinner party, pure linen is worth the difference.

How many napkins should I buy?

Your table's full seating plus two. Napkins wear out, go missing and meet red wine faster than the cloth, and buying them all at once avoids dye lot differences.