HAARLEM FINE BLEACH

Fine linen fabrics during the 18th century were sent to Holland to be bleached. The softness and purity of the water of Haarlem Lake was renowned, and many large bleachworks were erected on its shores. The cloth was chemically treated and spread on a field to dry. The process required from six to eight months to complete. It ended about the end of the 18th century owing to the more modern system of chlorine bleaching.