Bi-Products of Flax

Flax is completely biodegradable and produces zero waste. Every part of the plant is used in an environmentally safe manner.

1.  Flax fiber – This fiber is fine, beautiful and lustrous. It is prime fiber used in spinning, weaving, knitting, making clothing.

2.  Tow fiber – This fiber is coarser and often referred to as secondary fiber of lesser quality. It can be used in spinning, weaving and knitting, but can also be used for paper making

3. Shives - After the flax plant is harvested, the processing leaves behind the part of the plant which is not fiber. The shives also referred to as “Boone“ can be used for fire starter, bedding for animals, paper making, flaxcrete (1), biochar (2)

4. Flax seed – Who doesn’t love flax seed bread? Flax seed is used for human consumption and also for making flaxseed oil for baking and cooking.

(1) Flaxcrete is produced by mixing flax shives with lime to make a concrete without the use of stone. 

(2) Biochar is a process to burn shives without oxygen, turning the biomass into biochar, smoke free. It is used as a natural fertilizer.