Biology

Flax is an annual of the family Linaceae. There are over 200 varieties of flax plants that, depending on the regional conditions and climate, range in length (from 25 to 125 cm), shape (sparsely and heavily branched varieties) and maturity periods (from fast-growing varieties spread in the north latitudes and mountainous regions to slower-growing varieties cultivated on irrigated soils in Asia).

Flax blooms in clusters of bluish, navy-blue, and, more seldom, violet, rosy and white flowers that open up at dawn and close and fall at around noon when heat sets in. Each flower blooms for a few hours. Bees collect close to fifteen kg of honey from one hectare of flax field.

Commercially grown flax crops are grouped into two main types - fibre flax and seed flax, the former is generically referred to as long-stalked flax and the latter as crown flax.

Long-stalked flax is grown for fibre and cultivated as a spring crop on primarily silt or clay loams in a moist and warm climate. It is traditionally grown in no more than twenty countries worldwide, mainly in middle Europe and also Egypt, Turkey, China, Argentina and Chile. Long-stalked flax supposedly spread from Russia.

Compared to fibre flax, crown flax tends to require more sunlight and less moisture and is mainly cultivated for linseed oil (yielding up to 52% of linseed oil by weight).

History

Flax is believed to be one of the most ancient agricultural crops. An archeological dig carried out at the site of Neolithic lake dwellings in Switzerland turned up charred remains of food prepared from flaxseed, and remnants of linen threads, ropes, cloth and fishing nets. So man had already been growing flax as far back as Neolithic times. Traces of flax cultivation relating to the Bronze Age were found in archeological excavations in Spain. However, most of the finds of early flax cultivation relate to the Iron Age. They show that perennial narrow-leafed flax was cultivated all across Europe as far as Scandinavia. Archeological excavations at the site of Iron Age settlements in Germany discovered remains of bread prepared from wheat, millet and flax seeds. Many archeological finds, literary records and linguistic studies also point to India, Khoresm, Turkmenistan, Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, Abyssinia, Algeria, and Tunisia as ancient flax cultivation areas.

Domestication of fibre flax to say nothing of seed flax occurred in India and China before that of cotton - more than 5,000 years ago. There is evidence that as far back as 3,000 - 4,000 years B.C. flax was grown for fibre in Mesopotamia, Assyria and Egypt where the finest linen cloths were spun. The ancient historian Herodotus mentions linen cloths where each thread consisted of 360 finest strands presented as a gift to Athena of Rhodos. Flax was extensively raised in Colchis that used linen to pay tribute to the Turks. According to one account, the voyage of Argonauts from Hellas to Colchis for the Golden Fleece was in fact prompted by a desire to obtain the secret of making fine flax yarn that was treasured as much as gold and was as good as that produced in Egypt.

Some scholars believe that flax originally came from western Persia and spread over to other countries regarded to be the regions of early flax cultivation - India, China and Central Asia and westwards and southwestwards, primarily, to Babylon and Egypt. Mummies wrapped in linen shrouds were found in the Pyramids dating from more than 5,000 B.C. (now exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York). Egyptian priests wore clothes made of linen that symbolized purity of light and fidelity. Flax crop failure was thought to be equal to "seven Egyptian punishments".

There are grounds to believe that both ancient Romans and Greeks first brought flax from Egypt. The earliest mention of flax cultivation in ancient Greek and Roman literary records goes back to the 6th century B.C. The words lion (Greek) and linum (Latin) are encountered in the texts by Homer, Herodotus, Theophrastus and Pliny. Linen was used to make clothes, combat outfits, bed wrappers, sailcloth and cordage. It was also used as canvas in painting.

Gauls and Celts, the earliest flax growers in western Europe, learned about flax from Romans while Slavs, who were the first to start cultivating flax in eastern Europe, brought it from Greece. In the regions of early flax cultivation in Central Asia (Afghanistan, mountainous areas of Bukhara, Khoresm and Turkmenistan) flax cultivation had remained primitive until the turn of the 20th century.

Flax has been known in Russia since 2000 B.C. Ancient manuscripts of the 9th-10th century B.C. contain evidence of linen made by Slavs. Oriental writers of the time described Slavs attired in linen clothes. Prior to the formation of Kievan Rus, all Slavic tribes that inhabited the eastern European plain raised flax. Flax was used to make sailcloth, fishing nets, ropes and linseed oil. In the 10th-11th centuries A.D. flax was extensively grown for fibre and seed. It was regarded to be an important crop both for crafts and commerce. Peasants used it to pay feudal dues and make payments to the czar's treasury. Russian princes collected tribute in linen. In the late 19th-early 20th century Russia emerged as the leading producer and exporter of flax and linen among European nations.

On several occasions the advent of new, less labor-consuming fibres (cotton, viscose and other synthetic fibres) seemed to have put flax cultivation on the brink of economic ruin. But each time flax fibre production managed to survive and advance offering textile fabrics of high consumer properties owing to combining linen with new fibre materials.

Here are a few more interesting facts about flax fibre:

• The famous Turin Shroud that bears the image of Jesus Christ and was used to wrap his body is spun from flax fibres. There is also evidence that the towel bearing Christ's image - Redeemer not painted by human hands - was also made of linen.
• Prior to the invention of paper, manuscripts used to be written on linen. One of the most renowned manuscripts - the Linen Book by ancient Etruscans - was written on linen in the 7th century B.C.
• In ancient Greece linen clothes were the privilege of high priests.
• The great army leader Alexander of Macedon wore an armor made of . linen cloth to protect him in battle. It was said to be impenetrable to the foe's sword.
• In ancient Rus linen clothes used to be worn on festive occasions. The first ever standard in Russia approved by Peter the Great was the one about linen.

Linen is the most ancient fabric known to man. For centuries people have been growing flax to make fibre and weave linen. But despite its venerable age flax remains to be as young as ever.

Making the fibre

After harvesting and rippling flaxseed, the flax straw is subjected to a biological treatment (retting) to break down the binding between the fibrous and woody portions of the plant. For this purpose flax is unbundled and spread on the ground (dew retting) or wetted in special tanks. A bacterial fermentation decomposes the pectins that cement together the bast fibre and the woody portion. Depending on the mode of treatment (there are also chemical and physical-chemical modes of treatment), it takes from two to three weeks to complete the process of separating fibres from the wood.

The resultant straw called stock is dried in special machines and then mechanically treated to separate long and short fibres. This process consists of three stages.

Firstly, the straw stems are spread into a continuous uniform layer and turned at a certain angle to achieve their parallel alignment.

Secondly, they undergo a scutching process when the straw stems are first crushed and broken in breaking machines to fragment and separate the woody central portion of the flax stem. The wood breaks up while the fibre bends and remains intact. The stem wood so separated is called shives. The resultant straw coming from the breaking machine is called crude fibre.

The final and most important operation of obtaining the long fibre is carried out by scutching machines where the crude fibre is held tightly near one end while the free end is subjected to a beating and scraping action. This completes the scutching process whereby the long fibre is separated from the woody portion. The long fibre is then quality-graded and pressed into bales.

The shorter fibre, called tow flax, and shives are used for making boards and panels.

Spinning and Weaving

Spinning and weaving are extremely intricate operations.

Prior to spinning the long fibre is combed with the help of hackling machines to produce fine and slightly curled plaits, called rove.

The rove after being kiered, bleached and dyed is ready for spinning.

Currently there are two spinning methods applied - wet and dry spinning. In wet spinning the rove is treated with warm and hot water to dissolve pectin substances and drawn by means of special devices to split thick fibres into elementary strands and produce uniform, fine and durable yarn. The yarn so produced is then spooled and dried and used for making threads or linen cloth.

In dry weaving no pectin dissolution occurs and thick fibres only become realigned against each other on drawing. As a result, the yarn appears to be coarser and less durable and primarily finds application in the manufacture of technical cloths.

Weaving is the process of making cloth. The cloth is made on a loom by using two sets of threads running perpendicular to each other and getting interwoven as the loom works. The threads running lengthwise are called warp threads, those running crosswise are called weft threads. The edge of the cloth is made of twist yarn.

Where cotton yarn is added, the linen cloth is referred to as semi-linen.

Linen cloth is differentiated by its application and texture as:

• Table damask (tablecloths and napkins);
• Towel damask and terry-loop cloth;
• Garment cloth (hopsack, tricot fabric, etc.);
• Bed spread cloths, fine, terraced and ticking;
• Coarse cloths, crinoline, tarpaulin, packaging and bag cloths as well as fire-hose cloths, etc.

Linen cloth is manufactured in unbleached, semi-bleached, bleached and dyed varieties. Used in combination with Dacron, it greatly enhances its properties.

Flax Application

Natural properties of flax-based products make a perfect choice for use as household textiles, interior furnishings, textile wallpaper and wall coverings - they do not get deformed, retain their color and luster and do not fade, and have a long-life cycle.

Technical linen has found application in automotive, rubber, shoe and even aircraft industry. Flax fibre is used for the production of tarpaulin, sailcloth, driving belts, hoses and fishing nets.

Owing to its waterproofing properties, flax fibre is used as a base in the manufacture of roofing materials.

Being hygroscopic, air-permeable and aseptic, linen textiles are widely used in medicine as absorbent wool that prevents the development of infection and micro-flora, atraumatic dressings, woven and combined bandages, surgical thread that readily dissolves in the human organism.

Flax tow finds application in the building industry as a heat-insulating material. Used in the construction materials it appears to be a great energy and fuel saver.

Flax tow has also proved to be very promising in the production of an effective filtering material applied in waste-cleaning processes.

Besides fibre, flax is grown for oil that finds application in the manufacture of foodstuffs, soaps, paints and varnishes, rubber, etc. Linseed oil is an important component in the production of oilcloth, linoleum, waterproof cloths and top-quality leathers.

Linseed oil is also widely used in medicine and cosmetology.

The flax woody portion, shives, is used for the production of boards and blocks that successfully compete with more common wood chip and fibre boards. It is also used as fuel in water boiler-houses.

Linseed meal is a valuable feed for livestock.

FAQs

How to I care for my Linens?
The first golden rule is to follow the instructions on the label. Linen is a natural product and is better served by lukewarm water and pure soap. For further details please click here

Can I order sizes other than those on the size chart?
Yes. Please email or call for more details. Please click here to go to our contact details

How are Svaja linens packaged?
Please click here to see examples of Svaja packaging

Is there a minimum order?
1. The minimum order value is £150 + vat
2. For carriage paid order the minimum is £300 + vat (UK only)
3. Carriage on international orders is at cost (UPS)

How will my Linens be shipped?
In the UK carriage will be via a recognised carrier
For large consignments and where glass is included in the order, delivery will be by pallet For International shipments UPS is the preferred carrier and deliveries will usually be made in 3-6 days from dispatch.

Does Linen Shrink?
Linen and Linen Cotton mix fabrics do shrink and this natural phenomenon is accounted for either in the treatment of the linen during production or alternatively the delivered product is oversize to take account of subsequent shrinking which is most prominent during the first washing.

Green Credentials
Flax farming uses around 80% less pesticides that cotton farming. It does not require additional irrigation and is a renewable and rotative crop. Indeed, the skills and technologies involved in Flax production, cultivation and harvesting mean that there is no waste. By products produced include, Linseed Oil, Pulp used for Paper production and Shive which are flakes from the Flax used in insulation materials.

Further, the flax once fully growth is left in the field to the elements (sun and rain) so nature can take its' course allowing the fibres to be more easily extracted. Therefore, Linen does have vintage years like wine production and for the same reasons - weather.

Linen Care Guidelines

Before laundering your linen, please, read carefully the instructions on our product information sheet or on the care label attached.

Here you will find a few suggestions that will help you retain the beauty and long life of your linen.

Washing Tips
Linen just loves to be washed and ironed. The more linen is washed the softer, nicer and shinier it becomes.

First, use the right washing agents. The detergents that contain bleaching agents are perfect for white linen but should not be used for washing colored linen or else your linen would get discolored or spotted. Only bleach-free detergents must be used for washing colored articles. Use pure soap or gentle detergents. Soap works best in soft water. Never use chlorine bleaches to avoid damage to the fiber. Only oxygen-type bleaches should be used for white linen laundering. However, no bleach should be used when washing spun, colored or embroidered linen.

If the water you use is hard due to a high lime content add a softening agent, especially for darker-colored articles. Use plenty of water because linen is very water-absorbent. Water temperature should be selected according to the care instructions attached to your linen article. If the temperature exceeds the recommended maximum temperature it may lead to fabric shrinkage.

Never wash darker-colored pieces together with lighter-colored articles - if you do, you risk spoiling both.

Do not overload your washing machine, so linen can move freely - if you do, the fabric color may get streaked. When machine washing, put delicate or fringed items in a pillowcase or a net bag to reduce wear and tear.

Whether washing by hand or by machine, linen items have to be thoroughly rinsed in plenty of water to remove all soap, detergent and residual soil and prevent the formation of the so-called age spots due to the oxidation effect.

Do not soak, boil off, rub or wring out embroidered articles.

When washing colored embroidered articles, add a touch of salt. Also add a touch of vinegar when rinsing colored linen - that will help prevent color fading.

Remove stains when still fresh. If allowed to set, stains may be hard, if impossible, to remove at a later date (for more information see our Stain Removal Tips below).

If you take your linens to an outside laundry, don't forget to tell them that your articles are linen-made.

Drying Tips
Do not wring out linen before drying. Whatever drying method you choose - line drying, tumbler drying or lying out on a terry towel - make sure your linen articles are slightly damp before ironing. That will make your subsequent ironing job easier. Drying white linen in the sun helps retain the original white color. It is a good idea to lay out your laundered item, pull it into shape and pat it flat to minimize wrinkles and thereby save your ironing time. Over-drying leads to the loss of the natural moisture content and makes linen brittle. Over-dried items restore their natural moisture content after re-absorbing moisture from the air.

Ironing Tips
As it has just been pointed out ironing is easier when the laundered items are still slightly damp. Be sure that the soleplate of your iron is clean and smooth. If you have a steam iron check out the soleplate for mineral deposits - they can cause brown spotting. Use well-padded boards with smooth heat-reflective covers - it will reduce your ironing time. Iron linen articles until they are smooth but not dry, then hang or spread them out to become bone-dry.

If you postpone ironing until some later time put laundered items in a plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator or a freezer from 6 to 24 hours. It will help them remain damp and prevent mildew formation.

For extra crispness spray the laundered items, especially napkins, with starch and iron at a medium to hot setting - it will allow you to fold napkins into a variety of fancy shapes. If you prefer a softer look, use spray-on fabric sizing.

In case of light-colored linens, iron on the wrong side first, then on the right side to bring out the sheen. As regards dark-colored articles, iron on the wrong side only.

When ironing embroidered linen, keep the embroidery stitches rounded and dimensional and iron on the wrong side on a soft terry towel to avoid the risk of flattening it out. Special care should be taken while ironing delicate lace and cutwork to avoid tearing it with the iron - use a press cloth to safeguard against it. Press cloth also helps to avoid press marks over seams, hems and pockets.

Do not iron on a patterned cloth because there is a risk that it may get imprinted on the embroidery. Do not fold up the items just ironed - they should be kept spread out for some time to dry.

Place a table next to the ironing board when ironing large items such as tablecloths. Roll finished sections of the cloth over the table rather than letting it pile up under the ironing board. You can prevent tablecloth creasing by rolling the tablecloth around a tube as you continue ironing.

Dry Cleaning Tips
If care instructions provide for both dry cleaning and washing the choice is entirely yours. If you prefer dry cleaning to laundering, turn to dry cleaners who work on the premises. It would be also a good idea to find out whether solvents are regularly changed. If they are not, there is a risk that your white linens may turn gray or yellow.

Storage Tips
Linen is best stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area. Always launder or dry-clean linen before storing to prevent mildew growth. If mildew does strike, brush the mold off outdoors to avoid spore scattering in your house, soak the item in an oxygen-bleach water solution, launder it and dry in the sun. Use pure linen, cotton or muslin and acid-free paper to protect against dust or as bags. Do not use synthetics or regular tissue paper, plastic bags, cedar chests or cardboard boxes for storing your linens. If linen articles are stored for a long time, refold them from time to time.

Stain Removal Tips For stain removal tips click here, please.

Stain Removal Guide

Remember that fresh stains are easier to remove than old ones. Never use chlorine bleach - it can damage the fabric.

Always follow stain removal product directions. Make a point of testing a stain removal substance before applying it. Do it using a hidden part of the cloth. After applying the remover, let it stand for 2-5 minutes, then rinse. Should the color change, do not use the product on the fabric. Never put stain removers directly into the washing machine. Do not mix stain removers together.

When removing a stain, place the stained area face down on a clean paper towel or white cloth. Avoid applying the remover on the embroidery.

Always launder items after treating to remove residues of the stain and the stain remover. You can also try the traditional way: spread the linen out in the sun in your back yard for a few days.

Remember that some stains cannot be removed.