Flax: The Ever-Useful And Magnificent Linen Fibre

One of the world’s oldest fabrics Linen is extracted from the stems of the flax plant and was an important textile before wool and cotton. Though only the best fibres are used to manufacture Linen but the benefits of flax plant are so much so that no part of it is wasted; the left over linseeds, oil, straw and fibre are used in manufacturing a diverse range of products from lino and soap to banknotes, paper and even cattle feed. Flax plants grow properly in well-drained soil, and a cool, humid environment. Belgium and France are regarded as the countries that produce the best quality linen fibre.

The scientific name of Flax is Linum usitatissimum and belongs to the Linaceae plant family. The last bit of Latin in the scientific name apparently means ‘most useful.’ Some research findings conclude that flax was being cultivated before 3,000 BC. Like many important fabric crops it originally flourished in Middle East but now the flax plant is widely cultivated. Archaeological digs of Swiss Lake Dwellers, People of the Stone Age, prove that the fabric woven by flax fibre ( which in the present day is known as Linen) was present many years before Christ was born.

Linen cloth made from flax was used to wrap the mummies in the early Egyptian tombs and the fabric was sometimes used as currency in Egypt. Linen was seen as a symbol of light, purity, beauty and abundance of wealth. And it comes as a no surprise when the researchers found that the fabric was named as “woven moonlight” by the Egyptians.

In Teutonic Mythology flax plant was said to be associated with Hulda, the Goddess of Weaving, who first taught the human beings how to grow, spin and weave it into cloth. During Mediaeval times the fibre woven from flax was used for a myriad of purposes: - To make clothes, sacks, sheets, sails, fishing nets, strong rope, strings for bows, bags and purses among other items. During these times it was widely believed that flax flowers could protect people from witchcraft, black magic and sorcery. The Bible indicates that Christ wore linen as he lay on his tomb.

Linen as popularly referred to as “the purest form of fabric” is steeped in thousands of years of history and the best part is it still enamors the fabric connoisseurs of the present day.

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