Flax

"Flax for the production of linen has a very old tradition in the Saxon regions of Osterzgebirge, Oberlausitz and Vogtland. However, due to the emergence of synthetic fibres and cheap cotton imports, the importance of flax steadily declined until cultivation came to a complete standstill in the 1970s. This process of displacement was also favoured by the lack of further technical development in processing methods. For some years now, the cultivation and utilisation of natural fibres has been gaining in importance again. This is due to advances in technology, which are opening up a product range for domestic fibre plants that goes far beyond the traditional field of application. The desire of many consumers to replace environmentally harmful synthetic materials with natural materials, which is linked to increased environmental awareness, is also fuelling this process. [...] The Saxon State Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is interested in the reintroduction of fibre plant cultivation in the structurally weak foothills and low mountain regions of Saxony and has been supporting this project since 1992 with the "Natural Fibre Flax" funding project. It not only creates favourable conditions for flax cultivation, but also promotes the entire line from cultivation to initial processing and the development of new products." from: Flachs in Sachsen wirtschaftlich und umweltgerecht, Heft 8, 3. Jg 1998 der Schriftenreihe der Sächsischen Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, published by: Sächsische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (LfL), S.3.