Long-line flax
Also known as: Line flax, Long fibre flax, Scutched line flax
Long, parallel-combed flax fibre (60-90 cm) for fine linen yarn and premium linen fabrics.
Description
Long-line flax (French: lin peigne) refers to the long, straight bast fibres of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum), obtained through multi-stage mechanical processing. After pulling (uprooting), retting, breaking, scutching and hackling, only the 60-90 cm long, parallel-arranged elementary fibres remain. These differ clearly from the much shorter tow fraction, a by-product used for coarser yarns.
The long fibre is wet-spun (at 60-70 degrees in a water bath) into fine linen yarns from Nm 40 up to Nm 100. Only long-line flax allows the classic smooth damask table linens, fine batiste blouses, 200-thread-count bed linen and lightweight summer shirts. Typical properties: extremely high tensile strength (20 percent stronger wet than dry), a cool hand, a subtle silky sheen and the characteristic slubs which are considered a quality feature.
Origin matters: European flax (France, Belgium, the Netherlands) accounts for around 80 percent of world production and increasingly carries the European Flax label from CELC (Confederation Europeenne du Lin et du Chanvre). Cultivation requires no artificial irrigation and very little pesticide. Carbon footprint: about 40 percent lower than cotton for the same textile weight.
Properties
| Fibre length | 60-90 cm (element bundle) |
|---|---|
| Spinning method | Wet spinning, Nm 40 to Nm 100 |
| Tensile strength | About 20% stronger wet than dry |
| Origin (world share) | Europe (FR/BE/NL) about 80% |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Flax Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax
- European Flax and Hemp (CELC) europeanflax.com https://europeanflax.com/
