Bast Fibers

Fibers are collected from the skin or bast surrounding the stem of their
respective plant.
Bast fibers are cellulosic fibers, but with high content gums;
Prefer properties of these fibers:
high permeability, good water absorption, and better anti-bacterial, easy
recycled;
Considered as sustainable resource of natural fibers. Some
examples are Jute,Hemp, Flax, Kenaf as follows.

Planting of flax

Flax is cellulosic bast fiber. Flax plant is a member of the genus

Linum Usitatissimum. Flax plant grow up to 1.2 metre tall with
slender stems. Flax is grown both for its flax seeds and flax fibers.
Flax fibers are recovered from the plant by the retting and
scotching process. Flax fibers also called linen fibers.

History And Background

Flax is one of the oldest textile fiber used by mankind and
possibly the oldest. Excavation of 8th century, BC stone age side
dwellings found flax seeds, twines and fishing nets and others,
but possibly less well documented sources indicates that flax, or
at least very similar fibers, may have been used some three
thousands year earlier.
Flax is extensively used in Egypt from the 5th century BC for
clothing and sails, whilst its cultivation and use were progressively
developed throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia.
During Grecian and Roman times, flax, hemp, wool were the
major textile raw materials.
Machine spinning of flax was developed only in 1810 by de Girard.
Flaxs share of the textile market continued to decline as its place
was increasingly taken by cotton and in mid 20 th century this
trend was accentuated by the arrival of synthetic fibers and
principally by polyester staple fibers.
At the end of 20th century total world flax fiber production was
arround 400,000 Tonnes, compared to a total textile fiber
production of some 50 million Tonnes.
Before Prestroika global annual production of flax was of the order
of two million Tonnes of which some 1.75 million was produced by
the then Soviet bloc.
As is stated the ratio of line flax to tow in these countries 1/3 line
flax to 2/3 tow, compared to France, Belgium and Holland where
production is 2/3 line to 1/3 tow.

Growing Country
The principal area in the world where textile ( as opposed to oil
seed) flax has traditionally been cultivated and to a large extent
still is, are Northwest Europe ( Northern France, Belgium and
Holland) Eastern Europe, Belorussia and Russia, China and Egypt.
Small quantities are grown in Chile and Brazil.

Process Flow Chart For Flax Cultivation

Land Preparation