Short answers, pulled from the story.
Dyed flax fibers found in a cave in the Caucasus region of present-day Georgia have been dated to 36,000 years ago, suggesting linen-like fabrics were made from wild flax at that time. Fragments of linen samples from Swiss lake dwellings date to about 8,000 BC, and in ancient Mesopotamia flax was domesticated and linen produced in organized quantities.
Linen is more expensive because the flax plant requires substantial attention to grow and the production process is significantly longer and more labor-intensive than cotton. Key steps include hand-harvesting or close-cut stalks, bacterial retting to loosen fibers, scutching between August and December, and heckling to separate short fibers from long ones. Linen thread also lacks elasticity, making it harder to weave.
The Tarkhan dress is considered among the oldest woven garments in the world and is made of linen. It has been dated to between 3,482 and 3,102 BC, placing it in ancient Egypt. Its survival makes it a key artifact demonstrating how early fine linen garments were produced.
During the Victorian era, the town of Lisburn in Ireland produced the majority of the world's linen, earning it the name Linenopolis. The industry was boosted after 1685 when Huguenots fleeing France brought improved linen production methods to the British Isles. Louis Crommelin was appointed overseer of the royal linen manufacture of Ireland and his work led to the establishment of the Board of Trustees of the Linen Manufacturers of Ireland in 1711.
Linen can be up to three times stronger than cotton. This strength comes from the cellulose fibers in linen yarn being slightly longer and wrapped more tightly than those in cotton yarn. The tensility of linen cloth also increases by 20 percent when wet.
Linen has a wide range of uses including bed sheets, bath towels, tablecloths, upholstery, wallpaper, luggage, canvases, and sewing thread. It is a preferred traditional support for oil painting due to its archival integrity. United States currency paper is made from 25 percent linen and 75 percent cotton, and artisan bakers use a linen cloth called a couche to hold bread dough during its final rise.