Trading of flax
Flax is a plant of the Linaceae family, this plant gathers nearly 100 varieties gathered under the name of Linum usitatissimum. Among the varieties of flax, we had the textile flax and the oilseed flax which are cultivated in France. The flax fiber is cultivated for its long fibers and is characterized by a long stem whose size varies between 80 and 120 cm, on this variety we notice small seeds. The oil flax is cultivated for its seeds which are big with a length of stem which varies between 50 and 70 cm.
The fiber flax or textile flax is cultivated a lot in Europe, where 80% of the world production lies, especially in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The largest European production is cultivated in France, mainly in Normandy, Ile-de-France, and Hauts-de-France.
In France, the trade and production of flax fiber generates an important economic activity. A promising sector in which the country is the world's leading producer, over the last ten years the area under flax cultivation in France has increased by more than 100%, with nearly 250,000 hectares of cultivated land. One hectare produces an average of 1500kg of fiber, or 4000 shirts on average, a production that is due to a good alternation between rain and sun, which represents a climate conducive to the growth of linen. The wealth of French flax is also the know-how of farmers and dyers who produce quality flax fibers, which give an exceptional rendering on textiles and other products derived from flax.
Flax remains one of the rare plants with remarkable characteristics and the advantage of being totally commercialized from its seeds to all its fibers, even its waste is commercialized. This is what attracts industrialists from all over the world to come and buy French flax fiber. China is the largest buyer of French flax, buying more than 80% of the French production, India, Belarus, Lithuania, and Spain are also regular customers of the French market. The purchase of flax fibers is done with French companies specialized in the sale of flax fibers such as Norlin, which is a wholesale company of flax fibers. These companies as for it provide fiber near the French and Belgian dyers.
With more than twenty scutching companies, most of the flax exported from France is transformed abroad and then sent back to France as fabrics. Despite this large production of flax fiber, France is not the origin of the largest production of flax yarn, more than 80% of flax yarn and fabric is imported. Flax being a product of the future, France is investing in different projects to increase the rate of spinning done in France, which will be an opening to new markets and an increase in the country's GDP. The goal is to make the vision of French flax evolve; in the future we will not only talk about French flax but also about flax fabric made in France.
French flax is also very much in demand by local paper mills, which use linen tow to make special quality papers as well as cigarette papers and bibles.
The small amount of flax fiber left after import is used for local processing, in Brittany and Northern France several local products are made from flax fibers, bags with large threads, chains for decorations and cups that innovate the use of linen.