Flax Project CIC
Organisation Bio
Slow textiles, small farming.
The Flax Project aims to revive the flax industry in South West Britain and bring linen production to the Tamar Valley and Plymouth, linking the city to the surrounding countryside, providing sustainable and long term employment and training opportunities. The aim is to create a non-polluting, low carbon supply chain from field to fabric.
The Flax Project grows flax in Cornwall and runs a nature and creativity based textile educational programme suitable for all ages and abilities from their workshop at The Plot, Plymouth. They promote lost heritage crafts, working with the seasons and connecting back to nature. They also have volunteering opportunities at their field in the Tamar Valley and run projects with community groups and workshops and events in partnership with other organisations.
Product/Services
What we provide
We offer a heritage textile crafts educational programme. We have a permanent workshop in Stonehouse, Plymouth, where regular classes take place, we also get out into the community.
Below is a list of some of the workshops we run. All of these are open to the general public and will take place at our space in The Plot.
Flax Processing and Cordage - Learn how to ripple, thresh, winnow, break, scutch and comb transforming the flax straw into hair like fibre andthe cordage. Slow farming, the old fashioned way using hand tools and patience.
Flax Corn Dolly Making - Explore the wonderful history and folklore of corn dolly making. Participants will be instructed in how to make traditional dollies out of flax straw.
Textile Printing with Natural Dyes - explore the world of printing with natural dyes and mordants using screen and block.
Indigo-Shibori Resist Dyeing - dip your toes into the world of Indigo dye vats and Shibori folding techniques, the old fashioned way using natural indigo.
Natural Dyeing Workshops - Using a variety of plants and mordants participants will learn how to create natural dyes for linen and cotton
Spinning and Weaving Workshops - Coming soon ….
Volunteering Opportunities - We have regular volunteering opportunities, mainly during harvest time at the field.
'In the Community Grant' funded community projects such as the Green Minds Commission ‘A Mini Flax Farm in Keyham’ and ‘A Flax Corn Dolly on Blockhouse Park’.
We are not at the point of producing a local linen yet, but watch this space!
Accreditations
About our climate journey
From appreciating the beauty of linen we came to understand the amazing qualities of the flax plant. Once we knew about its environmental credentials it became a no brainer to take the next step to try to reintroduce it as a fibre crop and make a local linen.
The flax plant has many environmentally beneficial qualities: it grows in a variety of soils, it requires no inputs, is drought resistant and pest resistant. It is also a carbon sink. It has many uses, producing both fibre for linen (the longest and strongest plant fibre) and linseed which is a food and a multi-use oil. All parts of the plant can be used: e.g. for composites, building materials, rope, animal feed, bedding, oils and oil paints, lino and more. It's Latin name is Linum usitatissimum which means 'most useful plant'.
