Processing flax for spinning into linen creates waste called tow, and I'm turning the tow into fibre I can spin for a future weaving project!

Transforming flax tow into usable fibre for sustainable spinning

I recently started working with some flax I got from Flaxland, and if you've ever processed flax fibre for spinning, you’ll know it produces a surprising amount of waste. Those lovely long fibres that make strong, smooth linen leave behind a byproduct known as flax tow. 

Flax tow is made up of shorter, broken fibres, mixed in with bits of bark and stuff. But, instead of letting this go to waste, I’ve been working on transforming my pile of tow into a usable fibre I can spin for a future weaving project! 

So, I thought I would chat a little bit about flax fibre and its uses, and my potentially slightly unconventional methods for making use of it. Whether you’re a hand-spinner looking to make the most of your materials or just curious about sustainable crafting, I’d encourage you to read on!

What is Flax Fibre?

If you’re not already familiar, Flax is the fibre that is used to create linen. It is a plant fibre, and turning it into a spinnable material involves several steps:

1. Rippling – Removing the seed heads from the top of the flax stems

2. Breaking – Using a breaker to crack the brittle outer bark to free the fibres inside

3. Scutching – Using a long wooden tool to scrape away broken bark fragments

4. Hackling – Combing the fibre with a tool called a hackle to remove any remaining bits of bark and separate the strands of fibre to get it as fine as possible

The result is beautifully smooth, long flax fibres that are ready for spinning, and then usually woven into a fabric. However, this process also creates flax tow; those shorter lengths of flax fibres I mentioned before that are entangled with bark and debris. 

Spinning the lovely long flax fibres requires something called distaff; a setup next to your spinning wheel that keeps the fibres aligned and prevents them from tangling. However, that set-up is not one I am particularly enthusiastic about, so I’ve been enjoying the challenge of taking the broken fibres, and what is essentially a waste product, and turning it into something I much prefer working with.

Processing Flax Tow for Spinning

My goal here was to take something unpleasant, aka the pile of flax tow that looked more like straw than fibre, and turn it into something soft and spinnable. As I said, it’s only the longer fibres which require the use of a distaff when spinning so I have been able to work this in a way that feels more familiar to me as a wool spinner. 

I’ve used a hand carder, a small combing tool similar to the traditional hackle, which I use for processing my wool top, to tease out and align the flax fibres. Here’s how:

1. Teasing the fibres

I start by gently teasing out and separating the tow to align the strands. Getting them parallel helps to preserve as much length as possible.

2. Using the hand carder

I then flick the fibre across the carder, combing it multiple times to smooth it out. The more times the fibre passes through, the finer it becomes. There is the danger of it breaking though so it’s a fine balance.

3. Repeat the hand carding process

Once I have processed the fibre, I collect the shorter bits that get caught in the fibre, remove the little neps and comb it again. I’ll continue this process until I have bundles of fibre of different lengths.

4. Sorting my processed fibres by length

Of the fibres I have processed from the tow, the longer lengths can be quite happily spun on their own. I can draft it out much like a wool top and wouldn’t need to worry about a distaff to keep them under control as I spin since they are a similar length to fleece from long-haired breeds of sheep The shorter, fluffier bits, however, are processed further.

5. Making use of the shorter flax fibres

Using two hand carders, I have softened and refined the shorter pieces so that they are super soft and fluffy. I’m planning on blending these with naturally dyed wool using a drum carder to create a lovely fibre blend to spin into a yarn. You could work with a hand carder if that’s the only tool you have available.

If you'd like to read about flax processing in more detail, I've written a blog post about the summer I visited a flax grower in the Cotswolds to see how the plants are grown and worked to become linen yarn. 

Spinning with Reclaimed Flax Tow

One of the exciting aspects of working with flax tow is that it can be spun in a variety of ways. As I touched upon above, the longer processed fibres can be spun much like wool tops, without needing a distaff to keep them aligned. The shorter, fluffier fibres can be blended with wool, adding coolness and breathability to the final yarn or, you could spin them on their own - a far more manageable way of working with the flax fibre that mimicks how commercial flax is processed. If you spin shorter fibres in a more tangled, woollen-style preparation rather than the traditional worsted method, you get a yarn with more body and crispness.

Modern flax spinning typically involves breaking the fibres into shorter lengths for ease of processing, much in the same way cotton is produced. I love how reclaiming flax tow by hand gives a more sustainable and traditional approach to linen crafting and creating usable fibre for spinning. Rather than discarding what’s considered a byproduct, it’s immensely enjoyable to me to find new ways to make use of every part of the fibre.

Sustainable Crafting with Flax

Flax has long been valued for its durability and breathability, used historically as an easy-to-wash base layer beneath wool garments. Today, most commercial linen is processed differently, sacrificing some of its original qualities. By taking the time to reclaim flax tow, we’re not only reducing waste but also reconnecting with older methods of textile production and hand spinning.

I’m still exploring the many possibilities of working with flax, but I love the challenge of making use of every fibre. If you have any questions or insights about processing flax tow, I’d love to hear from you! I’m by no means an expert, but it’s something I am learning more about and I am very excited to get to work on all this fibre more. 

I’ll catch you next time with more progress on this spinning/weaving project!

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