From flax to linen - Cultivation
The best flax requires the best conditions
Flax may be an undemanding plant, but it does require certain climatic conditions. It thrives best in a maritime climate with its steady alternation of sun and rain paired with plenty of wind.
The flax plant also prefers deep, loamy soil.
The optimal conditions for growing flax can be found in the coastal areas of northern France and Belgium, home to fibres with the best quality.
At Leitner Leinen, we use raw materials exclusively from European production. Because we use only the highest quality linen threads, without exception, we procure our flax exclusively from the best growing areas in northern France and Belgium.


Sowing - the foundation of successful flax cultivation
European flax cultivation is the most productive in the world: on just one hectare of ground, enough flax can be produced to create around 20,000 km of yarn or 4,000 m2 of fabric. Expertise honed over the course of centuries results in the production of perfectly long flax fibres with excellent quality.
Seeds are sown between mid-March and mid-April. The distance between seeds plays an important role in this stage – the closer the plants are to one another, the finer the fibres. Flax plants can grow up to one metre tall and bloom in June.
Harvest time: pulling and dew retting
Once the plants have fully developed, it’s time to harvest.
One special thing about flax is that it is not cut when harvested; instead, the plants are pulled from the ground, roots and all. The flax is then laid out flat on the fields.
Now it is time for dew retting: the transition between sun, dew and rain along with the help of bacteria and fungi from the soil dissolve stem material surrounding the fibres. The fibres are connected to the solid wood and stem components by pectins, similar to glue. This process dissolves these pectins, and the individual components can then be separated from each other.
This process is completely natural and requires no chemicals or other additives. In fact, the nutrients that are released from the plants during dew retting are actually reabsorbed by the soil.
Once retting is complete, the harvest can be brought in.
