“Linum Usitatissimum” from Latin "most useful linen." For ten thousand years man has known this gentle gift of nature as the source of textiles with special properties: soft hand, rich color absorption, lasting durability, and unrivalled comfort.

Every part of the flax plant is at man’s service. The seeds provide oil for dyes, paint, cosmetics. The straw shives are used for flaxboards. The waste of linen fibers are processed into a pulp used for banknotes. However, flax is most renowned as the raw material for extraordinary fabrics, carpets and rugs.

Flax is one of the few crops still produced in Western Europe, with nearly 130,000 HA under cultivation annually. Climatic conditions in this region are perfect for growing flax, and increasing worldwide demand for linen makes it an important cash crop.

The growing cycle is short and sweet, with only 100 days between sowing in March and harvesting in July.  

Harvesting: To preserve the full potential of each plant, flax is never mowed but must be uprooted. Up through the Second World War, this was an exhausting process done by hand. Today, mechanical grubbers do this tiring work. 

Drying: After harvesting, the flax is stacked in hedges to dry. Once dried, the seeds are removed. 

Retting and Turning: Then flax is exposed to moisture to break down the pectin that binds the fibers together. In the past, flax was retted in rivers, particularly in the Lys river, which provided a lovely golden glow to the fibers. Today, for ecological reasons, retting is no longer performed in rivers. The preferred method still requires the intervention of Mother Nature as the flax is spread out in the fields and exposed to rain, dew and sunshine for several weeks. 

Stripping and Combing: During these mechanical processes the fibers are separated from the straw (shives), and then graded into the short fibers (tow) which is used for coarser yarns, or the longer fibers (line) which will be used to create the finest linen yarn.