Get involved in regenerative textiles
We would love to see flax and other fibre crops being grown again across the UK and Ireland. It might start with a small, very local system, at a scale that works within the context of a nature friendly farming system and yields a good product for a fair price. Our hope is that this can scale up by being replicated very many times. It’s not about reviving an industry for nostalgia, it’s about rebuilding it in a much more sustainable way.
Fibreshed are leading the way and are a great first stop for anyone interested in getting involved in regenerative farming, fibre and textiles.
Use the tabs below for some resources and links or to arrange a visit.
Coming soon…Beginners Guide to flax growing
We’ve provided links to some useful resources for researchers. Flax and other natural fibres are not new – they’ve been grown and processed for centuries. We encourage researchers to review the vast array of existing papers before embarking on new research.
Northern Ireland Natural Fibre Scoping Study, Prof Jane McCann: NFC Scoping Study NI 2019
Forgotten Books is an amazing resource, we especially love these titles:
The Spinning and Twisting of Long Vegetable Fibres (Flax, Hemp, Jute, Tow,& Ramie) A Practical Manual of the Most Modern Methods as Applied to the Hackling, Carding, Preparing, Spinning, and Twisting, of the Long Vegetable Fibres of Commerce by Herbert R. Carter
Flax and Hemp by Alexander Kirkwood
Modern Flax, Hemp, and Jute Spinning and Twisting: A Practical Handbook for the Use of Flax, Hemp, and Jute Spinners, Thread, Twine, and Rope Makers by Herbert R. Carter
Flax Fibre for technical textile: A life Cycle Inventory Alejandra Gomez-Campos , Claire Vialle, Antoine Rouilly, Caroline Sablayrolles, Lorie Hamelin 2020
The Biology and Processing of Flax, H. S. Shekhar Sharma, C. F. van Sumere. M Publications, 1992
We LOVE having folk visit the farm but we do get a lot of requests and we are a very small team on a working farm. We don’t have great visitor facilities.
We try to run regular events so that people can come and see what we do and we are open to hosting visits from small groups. Use the form below to request a group tour. We generally ask for £15 per person for group visits but we can provide a firm quote when we discuss your requirements.
We try to host open days on a regular basis throughout the year so that people can come along and see what we do. You can find details of these using the link below.