A short drive from Arras station, in the Pas-de-Calais region, lies a linen scutching cooperative named Opalin. Since 1988, this cooperative has opened up new outlets for local linen production. Today, Opalin brings together more than 200 member farmers. The Hast team paid them a visit to better understand the initial stages of linen production, a fibre so close to our hearts. Scutching, retting, hackling—linen goes through numerous stages before becoming a handsome, durable shirt. Here, we meet Hubert Brisset, director of Opalin since 1993.
Why does linen grow in this specific region?
The cultivation of linen takes place mainly in Western Europe, across the entire coastal strip along the English Channel, from Calvados to the Netherlands via Normandy and Hauts-de-France.
Linen is grown in this region for two main reasons: first for its soil and vegetation, and second for the low temperature variations between day and night. This stability enables the linen to grow steadily until the June harvest. Cultivating fine-quality linen requires rich soil, moisture, and mild, temperate weather.
Where does global linen production take place?
This coastal stretch along the English Channel, from Caen to Amsterdam, accounts for 80% of global linen production. France represents 80% of that 80%, which is huge. It is a crop deeply rooted in the land for generations. This is partly due to the climate, but also because we have the right processing equipment. During scutching, machines must be calibrated and materials sorted to achieve highly consistent batches. The rest of world production is split between Belarus and Egypt. In Belarus, due to the climate, sowing takes place later than here, producing shorter fibres. Retting is shorter and the materials are of slightly lower quality.
Egypt possesses genuine craftsmanship; it is the cradle of linen. 30,000 years ago, linen was already found in Egyptian tombs. However, Egyptian producers face limited surface area as they must also grow crops to feed the population. And because the climate is very dry, they rely on water retting: soaking the plants in the Nile, then removing the fibres from the water and drying them out. Only then can they proceed with scutching.
A plot can only be sown with linen once every seven years. That is why we do not cultivate linen exclusively and must rotate crops instead. For instance, cereals are planted, returning to linen only after seven years. Otherwise, the soil would become depleted.
What is retting and how long does this stage take?
To refine your look, before considering colours, choose lightweight pieces crafted from quality materials that hold their shape throughout the day. Nothing is worse than an overly tight jacket or a shirt in poor cotton—causing you to break a sweat from the very first dance steps.
Retting begins with pulling during the first half of July. The entire plant is pulled up, as the fibre extends all the way down to the root. The stems must then be laid out parallel on the ground to dry properly. This requires wind and sun initially, followed by a stormy spell with a light mist to allow retting to begin.
In reality, it is therefore quite difficult to estimate the actual duration of this step. Once one side is done, the stems must dry again so the fibres can be turned over to process the other side. Logically, a second damp period is then needed, followed by another drying phase. The fibres are then wound to create a sheet of linen. Once everything is packaged and dry, these sheets can be stored for years. On the other hand, if brought in damp, rot will have damaged the fibres. A subtle balance must therefore be struck. All these initial stages take place in the field.
How are these early stages of linen production organised?
For us, a batch corresponds to a plot. Several batches are packaged into straw bales. Farmers store their bales until we call them in for delivery. They then bring the complete batches to the factory. We maintain homogeneous batches so that the customer can adjust their machinery accordingly. We operate as a cooperative, meaning the business is owned and run by its members, with a board of directors. This board elects a chairman. Operational management is then entrusted to a leadership team comprising a managing director and a team of employees who run the factory. Scutching is the stage in the factory where linen sheets are processed mechanically. The seed capsules are removed to collect the seeds, which are then crushed. Then comes the cleaning stage.
So this is where you prepare the linen for its various subsequent uses?
Yes indeed, we carry out the “cracking” of the linen, meaning we prepare it for other industries. The long fibres are mainly destined for textiles, either for clothing or furnishings. They are the length of a cotton or wool fibre. Linen can be blended in many different ways. The fibres can also be used as insulation in the building industry, by mixing them with wood for instance. They can also be made into very fine paper, such as cigarette paper. Another anecdote: US dollar bills contain linen fibre!
Every part of the plant is used. The seeds are used for sowing or to make linseed oil for paints. To summarise: 20 to 25% are long fibres, 20% are short fibres, 4 to 10% are seeds, and the rest consists of shives—the woody part of the plant—which can be used to make chipboard panels, for example. A small amount of soil remains, which is filtered, collected, and returned to the fields. The entire plant is thus utilised, with zero waste!
