


Resistant, light, efficient, ecological… Flax is used in construction on land and even on the sea! In 2022, the Netherlands inaugurated the world’s first linen bridge. A navigator used it to build the hull of his boat… Can this plant material really meet the needs of urban construction?
More than 80% of the world’s flax is grown in France (from Hauts-de-France to Normandy). In total, 75,000 hectares produce more than 160,000 tons of flax per year. This production has taken place for centuries, and has been able to partially resist relocation. As a reminder, it was Charlemagne in the 8th century who developed this French craft. Why are we talking about craftsmanship? Because this fibre with multiple virtues is used above all for the manufacture of textiles. And this happened long before the arrival of cotton.
Over time, linen has been used in other areas, particularly insulation. While it offers very good thermal and acoustic insulation, it is not only that that pushes it to the front of the construction scene today. In the midst of climate change, it is actually a combination of benefits – in terms of production, implementation and sustainability – that make linen a material of the future for the construction sector. Flax is an annually renewable resource (meaning: fast-growing), which has favourable climatic conditions in France. It requires few inputs – , i.e. products involved in the manufacturing process. Flax is a local plant, not a high nitrogen user, and does not deplete the soil and which offers qualities as natural as its growth! It is fully recyclable and harmless to health. In addition, it contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases since, in the form of insulation, it is able to store CO2. This is a boon for the carbon impact of tomorrow’s buildings.
“Flax is used in the same way as traditional insulation materials. However, it has much greater heat storage capacity. It takes four times longer for the heat to pass through flax insulation. “
Flax wool for insulation is made from short fibres that are not used by the textile industry. They are cut into small pieces, then bonded together according to different processes (needling, application of a natural binder or synthetic resin). The material obtained is light and easy to transform. This is why flax today has a multitude of applications in construction. Unlike flax used for insulation, some of these applications bring advantages related to their long-term impact on other uses. It brings a great deal of added value for humans
With flax, the question today is no longer really whether it is a material that meets the construction challenges of the construction sector (energy saving, comfort of life, safety of human health, durability, recyclability, simplicity and speed of installation, low carbon impact, etc.), but if there will be enough flax for all the uses that this plant can meet. Since flax grows mainly in France, 80 to 90% of flax fibres produced in Europe is exported to China and India for textile purposes. In summary, this material has already been proven. It has many commercial uses.