Linen is an ecological natural fiber that is grown mainly in France. In addition to this, the fabric obtained after transformation is light, resistant and absorbent, which makes it a perfect material for clothing.
Why is linen such an ecological material?
What explains why linen has a very low environmental impact is that its entire manufacturing process is eco-friendly. Indeed, from the cultivation to the manufacture of the fabric, linen has it all.
To begin with, flax is a local plant, in fact, it is a natural plant material grown mainly in temperate zones near the sea such as Belgium and northern France. Moreover, 80% of the world's flax production is French!
But that's not all, the cultivation of flax consumes very little water, in fact the plant can grow without irrigation, rainwater is enough for it. Similarly, flax requires little or no pesticides to grow.
The little (or big) plus is that one hectare of flax retains 3.7 tons of CO2 every year!
Once the culture is finished, it is time to manufacture the fabric. Again, the environmental impact is extremely low! Each production step consumes very little energy.
The transition from plant to fabric
The history of flax begins in the spring, when the seeds are sown. After 120 to 150 days, the first flowers appear and it is at this time, in June during flowering, that the natural fibers reach their maximum size, and the longer they are, the more resistant they are.
The flax is then uprooted (and not mowed) so as not to damage the plant, then it is placed on the ground in a windrow (symmetrically) - which makes the field very pretty. Once on the ground, the flax will be left all summer to rest. This step is called retting and it is the first phase of transformation of the plant into fiber! It is the alternation of rain and sun that will naturally extract the fibers from the stem.
The second phase of transformation of the plant into fiber is scutching. This stage takes place in September and corresponds to the collection and mechanical threshing of flax. Once scutched, the flax fiber is stretched then polished in the form of ribbons intended to be spun.
Spinning flax fiber can be done in two different ways depending on what you want to use it for later.
The first method is “wet” spinning. Linen is soaked to facilitate the sliding of the fibers and to obtain fine yarns perfect for clothing and household linen.
The second method is “dry” spinning which makes it possible to obtain thicker yarns making it possible to create ropes for example.
Finally, the linen goes through stages of weaving, knitting and finishing.
The characteristics of linen
It has many advantages: it is a light, resistant, absorbent and thermoregulating fabric. It can absorb up to 20% moisture, making it a more absorbent material than cotton is a go-to piece during the summer. Linen being a solid fabric, it does not deform and resists very well over time!
In addition, linen is also a hypoallergenic fabric.
Our linen products
Our cap is made of linen and cotton. This mix makes it possible to have a flexible and resistant material. It is an ideal cap for sports because it is breathable. Discover the JOG & JIM cap!
