What Is Flax? The Plant Behind Linen Fabric
Updated August 3, 2026: this article has been refreshed with clearer information about flax, linen fibre and the uses of this natural plant.
Quick answer: what is flax?
Flax is the plant used to make linen fabric. Its stems contain strong natural fibres that can be separated, spun and woven into cloth. Flax is valued because it can produce durable, breathable textiles with a distinctive natural texture.
Linen made from flax is used for clothing, bedding, curtains, table linen, towels and upholstery. Because weave and weight make a big difference, it is useful to compare linen fabric samples before choosing fabric for a specific project.
Why flax is important for linen
Flax fibres are long and strong, which helps linen fabric last well and soften with use. The plant also supports a wide range of textile styles, from fine clothing fabric to heavier home-decor and upholstery linens.
Do you know much about the amazing plant that gets us our sheets, clothes and even towels? If you don’t be prepared to get some knowledge.
Flax is a food and fibre crop known for its oil and seeds. Flax fibres are also used to make linen.
Flax is also sometimes revered to as one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. A well known and commonly used vegetable oil known as flaxseed oil or linseed oil is produced from flaxseed. It is an edible oil used for multiple purposes and highly loved by vegetarians and vegans.
The other use of this amazing plant is making great fabric material – linen. The fibre is extracted from the flax plant and woven into linen. Flax fibre is soft, flexible and looks very luxurious. Linen woven from flax is of an extremely high quality and is considered to be a great choice for sheeting, since it is considered to last a lifetime.
There are some other uses of flax known to the human kind. Fibre in flax also helps in producing high quality papers, such as tea bags and rolling paper for cigarettes.

