Flax, a plant with multiple uses , is very trendy today, particularly in the field of fashion. Linen pants, linen shirts and all other linen clothing, for women or men, are now in fashion. But what do we really know about this plant?
On the occasion of its flowering, let's look back at the many assets of this proudly French culture , which goes well beyond textiles.
A remarkable plant:
A symbol of purity and light, flax has been cultivated for millennia for its nutritional qualities and its textile fibers. With 80% of global flax production carried out in Europe (and concentrated mainly in Normandy), this crop is ecologically remarkable , for several reasons:
This plant only grows with rainwater and does not require irrigation unlike cotton which uses between 7000 and 29000 liters of water per 1 kg. Flax is also a good CO2 fixer since one hectare of flax retains on average 3.7 tonnes of CO2 per year. Finally, the plant can be fully valued ! From the stem, for its textile fiber, to the flax seed for its nutritional values.
The linen cycle:
Flax is sown in spring (generally between March and April) and will grow very quickly to reach its maximum height of around one meter.
In mid-June, the flax fields bloom with small, ephemeral and very fragile blue flowers .
The plant is generally pulled out in July (this of course depends on climatic conditions), then left to dry on the ground. The latter is not simply cut in order to preserve the entire fiber . The seeds are then collected to be sown the following year . In August, retting comes, a key stage which consists of an alternation of rain and sun which will allow the straw to begin to separate from the fiber . The linen is then harvested and undergoes a stage of scutching then combing and finally spinning to transform it into a fiber usable in the textile industry.
There are two types of flax: so-called “textile” flax, used for its fiber and so-called “oilseed” flax , used for its seeds . In this second case, the process is different because it is the seeds which are valued and recovered to be pressed and thus obtain linseed oil .
The creation of Linaé:
Proud to celebrate this French culture and exploit its zero waste potential, Linaé is committed to offering environmentally friendly beauty products, while supporting the local agricultural industry. Thanks to its 360° approach to the use of linen, Linaé perpetuates the family heritage of Claude Vandecandelaère, a flax grower in Normandy, who passed on his passion for linen to his daughter Stéphanie . When Stéphanie Gastaldin decided to create her own brand, after more than ten years developing products for big names in beauty, linen seemed obvious to her. At the end of 2019, Linaé was born, the first brand of natural care with organic flax extracts, certified Origine France Garantie, which highlights French know-how and respect for living things in all its forms.
360° use:
At Linaé, the zero waste nature of linen is underlined by its versatile use, from fiber to seed.
First of all in cosmetic formulas :
Thanks to the seed , we can obtain linseed oil which is particularly rich in fatty acids (omega 3 and 6). These fatty acids are said to be essential for the body because the latter cannot produce them on its own (there must therefore be an external supply via food or skin products).
Omegas 3 and 6 protect the epidermis , soothe sensitive skin and strengthen the skin barrier . The oil also has an emollient and nourishing action which considerably reduces dryness of the skin. Likewise, the flax gel from the seed preserves optimal hydration of the skin.
Flaxseed oil is rich in vitamin E , which is a natural antioxidant. It therefore helps fight against free radicals whose action often causes skin aging. The body naturally uses its own antioxidants to neutralize them, but by providing vitamin E via flaxseed oil, the skin is greatly helped.
Flax can also be used for its fiber . Clothing, scrunchies, washable makeup remover pads,... linen is a material that is resistant , ecological , absorbent and thermoregulatory which offers alternatives to disposable products and/or synthetic materials.
Finally, linen is also used in research and development, particularly in the fields of sports and automobiles. Indeed, by mixing linen fibers with resins, we obtain a new material which can be used in the making of objects such as displays (at Linaé), bicycle parts or even sailboat masts. This technique makes it possible to have a biosourced material, light and above all very resistant.
In conclusion, flax is a remarkable plant that has many qualities. At Linaé, we are therefore proud to promote it at 360° by making the most of its zero waste nature (from the properties of its seed for the skin, to its textile fiber in our washable makeup remover squares ).
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