Linen Fiber Processing Flowchart and Chemical Composition

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Linen is the first natural fiber which was produced industrially from flax plant. this fiber obtained from the stems of the plant Linum usitatissimum are used to produce linen fabrics. Linen has been used for thousand of years. Flax is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region of Europe, the Swiss lake dweller People produced flax for the fiber and seed. Linen was the preferred textile of the Ancient Egyptians who used it for fabrication, bed linen and mummies were wrapped by it. The Commercial use of linen started in 1753. At present France, China, Belgium and Holland produces most of the fax plant.

Linen processing flow chart

 Rippling
   ↓
Retting
  ↓
Dew-Retting

↓
Dam or water Retting

↓
Chemical Retting

↓
Washing and Drying

↓
Breaking

↓
Scutching
↓
Hackling

Chemical Composition of Linen

Component	Percentage
Cellulose	92%
Hemi-Cellulose	2%
Lignin	4%
Others	2%
Total	100%

Classification of Linen

Linen is classified into two types.

1. Short staple - Comparatively smaller in size and use to uneven linen yarns. It is also called as Tow.
2. Long staple - Longer size fiber, 12 to 20 inches. Used to make finer linen yarn. Alternative name of it is Line.
(Reference- Book: textile fiber and web: binhaitimes.com)