Swaddling a baby in flax straw sounds absurd but it isn’t that far-fetched, according to an American textile expert.
A new generation of fabrics called nonwovens is taking the textile market by storm and flax could become a key ingredient in the process.
Nonwovens are a collection of manmade or natural fibres fused by a mechanical or chemical process as opposed to traditional textiles, which are yarns that have been twisted or knitted together.
It’s a sector of the textile industry that has been growing like gangbusters with nonwovens appearing in consumer goods such as diapers, wipes, mattress covers and industrial products such as surgical masks, protective clothing, automotive parts and construction material.
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Patricia Annis, associate professor of textile sciences at the University of Georgia, told delegates attending Flax Canada 2015’s Biofiber Industry Advancement Workshop that the oilseed is a perfect fit for an emerging industry she expects will continue to grow by at least six percent per year for the foreseeable future.
Most nonwovens are made from synthetic fibres such as polyester and polypropylene but there is a growing demand for natural fibres such as flax and hemp.
The main advantage of flax fibres over synthetic fibres is that they are biodegradable, but they also offer benefits over other natural fibres, proving stronger and stiffer than cotton.
“That makes it very good for industrial uses where stiffness is needed,” Annis said.
She said flax has been used as a composite in the European automotive industry to make trunk liners and door panels.
“It’s cheaper than fibreglass, it’s lighter weight and it’s biodegradable. That is really critical to the automotive industry to try and make biodegradable or recyclable cars.”
Flax has also been used to create insulation and flame-resistant barriers inserted underneath upholstery.
Annis said this isn’t pie-in-the-sky technology. Manufacturers are eager to incorporate more flax fibres into their products right now but complain about the high price and poor availability of good quality fibre.
Linda Braun, executive director of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, said her board of directors is excited by the potential of driving trucks and living in houses that contain materials made from the crops they grow.
It’s a real-world example of what the flax industry is attempting to do with its Flax Canada 2015 initiative, finding new uses for flax seed and fibre.
An estimated 2.1 million acres of flax straw were produced in Canada this year, most of which will be burned in the field.
Canadian farmers grow oilseed flax as opposed to the fibre flax grown in Europe. It produces shorter straw that is ideal for manufacturing nonwoven textiles.
Another advantage is that the manufacturing plants are primarily in North America, while fibre flax must be shipped to traditional textile manufacturers in far away places such as China.
However, Braun said farming practices must change before Canadian flax finds its way into car panels and shingles.
The straw needs to be retted before it can be used by nonwoven manufacturers. Retting is a process of laying the straw flat and weathering it in the field. Once those methods are perfected and the cost of delivering material to the plants comes down, farmers will have a good market for both the seed and the straw.
“They can tweak their management practices and end up getting almost like a dual purpose crop,” Braun said.
