Linen
Flax is an annual herbaceous plant that can branch more or less. It has thin, upright, and long stem.
It is cultivated in summer and autumn; the winter flax is sown in August-September, the summer flax is sown in March and April. It usually has a green – gray-colored, upright, thin, and cylindrical stem. The average length of fiber type flax is between 100-120 cm and the stem thickness is between 2-3 mm. Its leaves are without leafstalk, spindle-shaped or lanceolate. The flowers of fiber flax are mostly blue in color. Flax fruit (capsule); It is shaped like a pointed, round, oval, long conical or flat barrel. Its seeds are small and resemble sesame seeds.
Fiber is produced from the stem of the plant. It grows in humid and cool climates. When grown for seed, linseed oil is obtained. If the fibers are to be used, they are cut when the plant is young. Each plant stem has an average of one thousand flax stem fibers. 25% of the flax stem is used as fiber.
The flax growing stages are as follows:
The flax plant that has reached maturity is harvested by plucking it from the soil by hand or by cutting it with machines. The roots are put to one side and the stems are put to another side for drying as bunches in the field. After the leaves dry and fall, they are tied with their own stems and made into bunches.
The flax plant is processed in 3 stages until it becomes fiber; retting(decomposition), breaking and spinning. Then the fibers turn into yarn that will be used in weaving.
The main benefits of linen fabrics are as follows:
– Very durable and has very low flexibility
– It does not collect dust
– High dimensional stability
– Soft-touch and absorbent
– Due to its breathable structure, it gives the skin a feeling of freshness