Flax Explored

The fibre of civilisation(s)

To replace petroleum-based products that makeup 70% of textiles, there's an increasing demand for local natural fibres. Next to hemp and nettle, Flax is one of the most sustainable natural fibres. It grows in nearly every soil, does not need much water and grows fast. Flax linen, known as the oldest textile material, dates back to 36,000 BCE. The versatile flax plant provides seeds for oil, fibres for textiles and paper, and flowers for dye.

Flax production is primarily based in cooler regions of the world due to the crop's preference for temperate climates. The top producers of flax include Canada, which is the largest producer, followed by Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. European countries such as France, Belgium, and the Netherlands are also known for their high-quality flax fibres, particularly for use in the linen industry.

Flax has evolved into a high-performance technical component used in composite materials. The properties of flax make it a good choice for applications from vibration absorption to electromagnetic transparency and sound and heat insulation. Thanks to its low density, flax-reinforced materials perform well when lightness is a crucial criterion.

Historically, civilisations have used flax for clothing, household linens, and sails for ships. Flax embodies the "yarn of civilization," connecting cultures and continuing to hold its value today as a material for the future.

Collaborative

Since 2018, The Linen Project in The Netherlands, has been pioneering a revival of small-scale linen production by engaging community involvement in growing flax. They started a collaborative project in 2024 to cultivate a square meter of flax in Dutch gardens, following the Swedish model, 1 KVM LIN. Participants will see the full cycle from seed to textile guided by webinars and flax consultation sessions for sharing insights. This project will ultimately result in a self-made napkin and aims to deepen the understanding of and connection to sustainable textile production.

The seed packages, the map of the 850 people collaborating and making the rows for the seeds.

1M2 Vlas Project, see more here

Three dimensional

For the past 16 years, Christien Meindertsma has centred her research practice on flax, starting with buying a Dutch flax farmer's entire harvest in 2012 to create a local ecosystem from farm to finished product. Her ongoing Flax Project explores different uses of flax from traditional crafts like yarn spinning and rope making to developing high-tech textile composites. Flaxwood, her recent project, is a solid and local linoleum that can be used as a building material and that is re-pliable at its end of life. She wanted to make linoleum three-dimensional rather than a sheet material and proposed to make linoleum from local, non-extracted materials: Linseed oil from local flax farmers, wood dusts that are a byproduct from the local furniture industry and woodworking companies and chalks that are by-product from drinking water production.

Flaxwood tiles by Christine Meindertsma and Dzek, slow architectural products and the flax fields from above, see more here

Textile innovation

Judith van Looveren explores the use of linen as an interactive textile, utilising its natural hygromorphic properties for interactivity without the environmental drawbacks of electronics. She researched how linen reacts to humid environments and curls up. Varian is a textile developed by Culture iN, it melds flax threads with a vegetable resin PLA composite. The resin in the material enables it to be shaped through heating for moulding, folding, and embossing. Babs Van den Thillart researched textile constructions by developing a three-dimensional weaving technique using 100% linen. She weaves layers together in one process, aiming to create complete products in a single piece while highlighting the stiff texture and expression of the linen yarn.

Unveiling Linen by Judith van Looveren at TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering, Varian shaped linen by Culture IN and 3d woven flax by Babs Van den Thillart.

Texture

Linen, in its natural state and colour, has a timeless quality to it that evokes a connection to historic textiles. Its fibrous texture and natural feeling of craftsmanship looks both historical and modern. The stiff drape of unprocessed linen emphasizes its organic nature and the unique characteristics of the fiber. Linen can be used for fluid summer clothes, but also for its architectural qualities to create shape and luxurious texture.

Linen trousers by Zegna, Belgian flax by Deltracon, Sero linen non-woven by Bast Fibre Technologies

Footwear

For footwear flax is used together with natural rubber or crafted into a non-woven form that can be molded. Shoes are made from many different components and may of them can be created out of flax. Flax fibers are being used to create composite materials for structural applications within footwear. These flax fiber composites can be used as structural plates in running shoes.

High tops with linen uppers and recycled gum rubber soles by Good News, non-woven flax shoes by Liz Ciokajlo, carbon plates made from flax by by Arris

Biobased fur

Savian bio-fur, as used by Ganni in a bag and by Stella McCartney in a dress on the right. Savian uses an engineering approach to create textiles. You can read more about the project here

Savian has made a fur from 100% renewable plant fibers like nettle, hemp, and flax. The material mimics traditional fur, shearling, and teddy but is animal friendly and reduces CO2 emissions by 40-90%. It is free from GMOs and toxic chemicals, and sourced and crafted within the EU.

Mobility

Flax bio-composites are being used in the mobility sector because of their sustainability credentials. The material is strong and lightweight, which can lead to improved performance and lower energy consumption. Natural materials are now being used for panels and insulation, and leather is being replaced by plant-based alternatives.

Bio-battery by Fraunhofer LBF, a lightweight battery using natural fiber-reinforced materials, Jeroen Claus, co-founder and lead designer at VoyagerCo, has designed the Polestar 1:1 using flax fiber to achieve a durable, lightweight build, Bcomp’s natural fibre technologies used for electric Extreme E racing

Sports equipment

Flax fiber composites are being used for sports equipment because of their mechanical properties, low density, and minimal environmental impact. The vibration and sound damping qualities make them suitable for creating a more comfortable user experience, often described as ‘a softer ride’ in sports gear.

Flax composite skate- and surf-board by Studio Bart Vernooij, flax reinforced tennis, padel and pickleball racquets by Adidas and Bcomp

Architectural

Smart Circular Bridge in the Netherlands, is constructed from a flax and bioresin biocomposite and is a collaborative effort involving three universities, seven companies, and three municipalities as part of an EU project. Researchers and students from the Universities of Freiburg and Stuttgart designed a lightweight pavilion called LivMats made from robotically wound flax fibres. Modular shape by the University of Stuttgart made of flax fibers and the biopolymer chitosan.

In architecture the integration of natural materials and advanced digital technologies draws inspiration from biological systems. Using flax in computational design and robotic fabrication workflows causes challenges because the machines were developed for homogeneous, synthetic materials. In these projects the similarities and differences between biological and technical materials came together to shape a new aesthetic in architecture.

You can watch a short movie about the flax process here