Flax
Interview with Danish weaver and artisan Karin Carlander
Introduction
Name
Karin Carlander
Education
MA Textile Design, The Royal Danish Academy, A/D/K School of Design.
Location
Raadvad, Denmark
Field of work
Craft of weaving within design and decorative art. I work with bespoke textile pieces at my work shop and I have developed my own collection of machine woven linen. Since I am certified as Master of Linen, a registered trademark and sign of excellence, my collection meets the high standards for an ethical, sustainable and responsible production from field to yarn to fabric. This certification requires renewal every year and is only given to the very best within the field of linen.
Photo : Rigetta Klint, HÅNDVÆRK Bookazine
Q : Why flax? How come you prefer this fiber over other spinning fibers?
A : Flax always fascinated me. I find the material very beautiful, and I love the fact that it is a natural material and a native plant. Flax is challenging to work with since it has a mind of its own but it also has multiple qualities.
Q : Please list the qualities of flax:
A : To grow flax requires a very low amount of herbicide, pesticide, or fungicide, making the linen one of the most responsible and environment friendly textile qualities in the world (together with hemp textile)
Linen is 100% degradable
To produce linen leaves no waste product. Everything from the plant is used.
The certified flax used in my products only grows from rainwater. No portable water is used during either growth or retting. When harvested the plant is left on the field to ferment. This process entirely relies on the right amount of sun and salty rainwater washing in from the Atlantic Ocean. In comparison cotton has a water consumption of aprox 7.100 liter of water per harvested kilo. This also applies to organic cotton.
The color affinity for flax is great. This means the material easily absorbs color and few resources are used during the dyeing process.
Flax is a hygroscopic material meaning it easily absorbs water or moist and also dries fast after usage. Linen absorbs up to 20% of its own weight without feeling damp.
Flax is antiseptic and the seeds are rich on polysaccharides with anti-inflammatory properties.
Linen is one of the oldest textiles developed by humans. In September 2009 archaeologist discovered small fibers of flax in a cave in the Georgian part of Caucasus dated back to 36.000 B.C.
In Europe flax is the only vegetable plant used for industrial textile and is also the only native textile fiber for industrial production in Europe.
Q : Are there any downsides to flax or linen?
A : Linen production is challenging and requires both a lot of labor and a high level of craftsman ship. You also need an extensive insight and experience with the different stages from agriculture to end product.
Flax is more expensive than other textiles hence the level of human involvement and the necessary knowledge about all the different processes. To work with flax is time consuming and the process cannot be forced or stressed. (This is also what I find nice about the fiber)
To wash linen also requires knowledge about the material; a knowledge many do not have any more. Big consumers of textiles like the restaurant business, hotels or hospitals outsource the handling of laundry and when the Industrial laundry industry are not capable of handling the linen quality, cotton will ultimately be the preferred textile within the hospitality business or health care system.
Q : Where do you purchase your flax fiber and why? Please also indicate why the conditions are good for growing flax.
A : The flax I use is grown in the Northwestern region of France. Here you find the only place in the world where flax is grown without artificial irrigation and retted directly on the field. This specific region in France is also known for a unique quality of flax characterized by long fibers up to 60-90 cm.
The ideal climate for growing flax is mild and humid with an amount of 700 mm rain during the growth period and no exposure to big changes in temperature.
I can also add the following facts about the flax production in this specific region:
Flax is not cut when harvested. Instead you pull the plant from the soil including the long roots in order to use both stem and root.
After harvesting bundles of flax is placed directly on the ground in order to start a fermentation process. The bundles need to be rotated once in a while and from here a skilled set of eyes will determine when the fiber is just about right or if it needs further time to ferment. It is very important that the stem will not break when rotated because this will damage the fibers.
The fermentation of the flax plant is called retting and is 100% natural. Two different methods are used for retting the flax plant:
A-Dew retting, where the flax plant is left on the field and exposed to the changes between rain and sun (from July to September).
B-Water retting, where the flax plant is left in still water in a tube or similar container until ready.
For the flax fibers grown in the Northwestern part of France dew retting is the chosen method.
Both retting methods means natural microorganisms will ensure the necessary fermentation process to separate the fibers from the stem. From here the bark like part of the stem will be removed mechanically with the use of rubber wheels leaving the fibers to be categorized by length. The long fibers are used for textile but all other parts of the flax plant are also utilized; the shorter fibers, the shards, the biproduct and the seeds. Nothing is left unused.
Q : Is there any practical or theoretical knowledge you would like to emphasize?
A : Flax is a natural material and should be treated with respect and knowledge. If you wish to use flax for different purposes you need to understand its specific characteristics, qualities and limitations before using it. Like you would do with fine wool.
Flax is not cotton and will not tolerate the same handling. Especially not when washed.
Nevertheless flax is a beautiful and soft fiber and an obvious choice for both clothing textiles and household fabrics.
