Flax/linen products

Flax, a plant that uses all parts

The textile industry is still the first user of flax/linen. However, constant innovations appear in both textile and technical outlets which allow all parties of flax/linen plant to find a specific use.

 

1. Clothing

Flax has been used for centuries in the manufacture of clothing. Traditionally, flax/linen is a fiber used in weaving (pants, shirt, jacket) for summer collections.

In recent years, flax/linen has experienced several innovations:

  • First, the transition from pure linen in blends with other fibers. Woven fabrics are both less creasy and provide new aspects.
  • Mixing with winter fibers such as wool retrieves flax/linen in the winter collections and enjoy its thermoregulation qualities .
  • Linen knitting is recent. Special yarns were designed to develop articles in linen knits (T-shirts, pullovers). This new market is growing in recent years. Linen knits greatly drecrease linen creaseness.

2. Home textile and decoration

Linen has a major place in the interior design sector. Linen, bed linen, curtains, the use of flax/linen is a classic in interior design.

Today, the success of linen is undeniable. It is popular for many reasons:

  • The opportunity to work it both from finer to coarser yarns
  • The texture aspects it brings
  • Its dyeing ability
  • Its resistance

The latest innovations made it possible to bring to market:

  • Washed linens providing soft fabric touch
  • Linens coatings for outdoor use

 

 

3. Composites

Composite materials are an blend between a weft of fibers and a resin. Flax is replacing glass and carbon fibers that are most commonly used in composite applications.

Flax fiber interested industrialists for its qualities:

  • Biodegradability
  • Shock absorption
  • Lightness
  • Resistance

Flax composites are still new products. Many projects are currently in research and development.

Potential markets are important:

  • Sporting Equipment (tennis racket, windsurfing board)
  • Furniture (chairs, tables)
  • Mechanical equipment (parts for the automotive industry)
  • The transport industry

4. Seeds

The seeds from the flax is intended either for the production of seeds for the next year.

The linseed are produced in Central West and South-West of France.  

These linseeds are rich in Omega 3. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Paper industry

Flax fibres allows the production of fine and resistant papers. The fiber is used for the strcuture of paper. We find linen in the cigarette paper and the paper used as support for US bank notes.

 

6. Bedding and mulching

The shives representing 50% of the plant are valued:

  • In horticultural mulch: biodegradable, they prevent the regrowth of weeds while maintaining soil moisture and enriching
  • In horse bedding: biodegradable, they have a high absorption power.

 

7. Insulation

Flax fiber is a very good insulator. Construction industries use flax in two forms:

  • In fiber to replace glass wool
  • In shives (fragments of straw) for particle board.