The Flaxmobile Project: Sowing Seeds of Change Across Atlantic Canada
Written by Sara McQuaid, Creative Content Manager @ Threading Change
December 12, 2024.
6-minute read.
Introduction
As winter approaches, so does our approach to staying warm. Do you own a pair of linen socks or gloves? Find them and a pair of polyester socks. What differences do you feel? Do you know where your linen came from? If you answered no, you are not alone.
Linen comes from a flower called linum grandiflorum or more commonly known as flax. It’s a charming plant with blooming violet, scarlet, or white flowers bursting from a long green stalk. Linen derived from flax is an excellent alternative to textiles made from fossil fuels like polyester or rayon because it is a zero-waste plant and fully biodegradable. Humans have relied on linen for centuries to keep warm, fed, and thriving. In 2009, a group of researchers in Georgia found a piece of dyed flax thread that was over 30,000 years old. Although it is not entirely clear if these ancient flax threads were used to make clothing or baskets, it shows our dependence on this fiber goes back farther than our written history. Similar to silk, flax was carried by travelers and settlers across Europe through migration movements during the Middle Ages and made its way to North America in the 1800s. By the 20th century, flaxseed oil had become a global staple in cooking, used for both human and animal consumption. Flax is exceptionally healthy and could have provided pilgrims of the past with essential nutrients, such as omega-3s, which offer significant cardiovascular benefits.
Flax production thrives on the East Coast of Canada because it is drought-resistant, easily grows alongside other crops like wheat, and prefers cooler seasons. However, its production declined in the 1920s when the province became threatened by international commerce, and people moved from farming rural communities to urban centers that preferred imported products. Thus, flax’s production process fell into obscurity and the practice was mostly forgotten, leaving fields empty.
However, hope has begun to sprout across the Atlantic. Threading Change is proud to introduce Dr. Jennifer Green, Associate Professor in the Textiles and Fashion Department at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). Dr. Green is currently leading an agricultural revolution in Eastern Canada by helping farmers revive a long-standing tradition of flax and linen cultivation. The Flaxmobile Project is dedicated to helping farmers and artisans throughout Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia) grow fiber flax as a sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel based fibers. This three-phase research initiative features a mobile facility designed for hands-on education and flax fibre processing. Dr. Green travels across Atlantic Canada in her brightly colored cargo van painted in flowers dubbed “The Flaxmobile” and hosts community engagement sessions where she connects the community to the potential awaiting in their fields.
The idea for Flaxmobile came during her sabbatical from NSCAD when she was searching for land to grow her own flax. As an avid lover of textile, Dr. Green was finding it difficult to find local flax to spin and thought it would be easier to grow her own flax, then process it. This idea wove itself into a remarkable one: What is we brought flax production back to the entire province? Thus, the Flaxmobile was born. Dr. Green is an inspiration to innovators within the circular and sustainable space as the Flaxmobile project's focus on education, community and collaboration through a creative lens. All of this while simultaneously creating a sustainable textile supply chain that addresses environmental challenges and material security, all while revitalizing traditional farming practices and supporting local artisans and their economies.
Read below how Dr. Green found herself leading a community of farmers and artisans who strive for sustainability at every step of the process.
Farmers and members of Flaxmobile project at work in fields harvesting flax. Photo by Lola Brown. From NSCAD.com
Thank you so much for joining me today Jennie! What’s your favorite story to tell when introducing yourself?
One of my favorite memories of being a kid comes from my Polish background. Every day I would sit in my grandma’s kitchen after school. I was surrounded by the smells and noises of her cooking or sewing while I did my homework. There was an ever-present quiet focus. There’s something inspirational from culture: I felt so safe and secure with her. Whenever I think about how I approach textiles, this studious, quiet reflection within my culture sustains me.
As a Ukrainian, I can completely relate to this. I can already smell the garlic and hear my grandma’s knitting needles. How would you describe your relationship with textiles?
It comes from a deep love and passion, textiles have been in my family for generations. My grandfather was a textile dyer and my grandmother was a knitter. It was essential in my family. We all had a deep connection to textiles and it taught us awareness and control of our surroundings. Did you learn your love of textiles from your grandma too, Sara? Did you realise it was her or did that realization come much later?
Of course! It wasn’t until I was much older sitting at my sewing machine ripping something apart, muttering obscenities like she did that I had my “aha!” moment and it all came back to her. Speaking of aha! Moments, what was your eureka moment when you realized you could lead a flax-renaissance?
The idea for the Flaxmobile seemed to have dropped out of the sky. Or it was divine, whatever it was, it was something bigger than myself. The idea went from traveling the province looking for flax and thinking the more I looked and realized the potential, the more excited I became. Did I imagine a full flax renaissance? No. There wasn’t a moment of, “OK I need a vehicle and then this, etc”. It wasn’t until I posted the idea on social media and farmers came to me that I realised how deep the need was for a community.
That’s so remarkable. It’s incredible how you all seemed to connect through this unspoken need. You are so incredible, Jennie. Can you introduce us to flax and explain why this cellulose material is so special? What drew you to this crop?
The Latin name for flax is Linum usitatissimum. It’s a bathed fiber, which means the fiber grows in the stalk of the plant. This helps carry moisture to the flowering tip. Because the role of the plant is to move moisture, this is what gives linen its characteristics and makes linen so absorbent and dimensional stability. What makes it special is that a lot of the properties of the plant are expressed in the final textiles. Additionally, for me personally, we have some history of it being a prolific crop in Eastern Canada so there’s a potent access and turning toward the history of it in the province. I started working as a weaver who loved linen and my professor at the time said, you should learn to spin if you want to be a better weaver. I went to a spinner who was also a historian who shared with me so many incredible stories of its ties to the province and its importance in the Napoleonic wars, and early domestic life for settlers. It’s depth and stories went beyond the plant.
* For more information, please visit: Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
Taken from https://flaxmobile.com/
How was the flax industry before the Flaxmobile came onto the scene?
Flax in Canada prior to 2022 was mainly led by a woman named Patricia Bishop who is a farmer who has been growing flax since 2012 in the Annapolis valley. She developed the first small North-American-based scale linen processes machinery in 2015 and has the first small-scale processing mill. There were some folks across Canada who were working in the fiber shed space in a group called Pay de Coquine. So there was small-scale regional development but there was a desire for an industry to develop.
What were the barriers before Patricia’s work in 2012?
I truly think people had no clue flax was a crop that grew here, produced textiles and farmers could still grow it. They didn’t know about the machinery and processes. The farming industry is a whole silo and tends to have a lack of educational resources.
Can you walk us through the project? What are the steps from meeting the artisan to getting the flax growing in their field?
A main component is the on-farm process. We put out a call on social media once a year to see who is interested. Then we invite them to come and learn more about flax. It changes year per year of what the arrangements look like, but usually we have a few interviews to decide if this is the right project: do they have the time, land, time, proper resources, etc. Then once we know it’s the right fit, we begin to work together in the spring. We work with the farmer through all of the stages from growing, processing and weaving, staying close throughout the season to provide the right support. Then we help them find artisans to sell their product to so we can craft locally made linen products.
Do you have a lot of repeat farms?
Yes, we have a lot of farms that have been with us for the full three years!
What was one of the most surprising things throughout the development process?
I had grown flax in a few places before starting but once we started working with different farm locations, I think I was surprised to learn so much more about the plant than I thought possible. I was amazed at how it responded to climate change and changing temperatures. I’ve always tried to follow the process but with so many farms and experiences, the variation was interesting.
I read online about the community engagement sessions that are part of the process. I want to know more about the mood, the feeling etc, so this is the best question I could come up with: What’s the “vibe” of the community engagement sessions?
We have a fun and exciting farm work side of the flaxmobile process. We are also doing desk-based research to develop a better understanding of the industry and where it needs to go to foster sustainability and success. We found a methodology that uses community engagement sessions that connect with others in the community who have a lived experience of the problem.
“We believe the fact that global textile production has reduced our ability to have regional textile processing, which is a massive problem.”
It’s a complex, systemic problem. So the community brings people along the textile supply chain together and we ask them about their experience in the industry. There’s a lot of excitement when people come together in the room. There’s a sense of collaborative work. Everyone is working so hard in their own corners and it’s rare to see everyone come together to understand one another and then envision a common goal together. There’s excitement, gratitude, and a palpable focus. You can see people turning ideas over in their minds; how they can contribute to the solution? How they can use their personal tools and mental aptitude or investment to contribute to the group brainstorm
That’s something beautiful about sustainable space. We’re all in this together. Please correct me if I’m wrong: it is difficult to find resources because a lot of it is out of date. Would you say this is true or untrue?
I think on the one hand, the resources we have are from a long time ago: from the upper Canada village and we do lack regionally specific information. The Department of Agriculture does not have information for farmers. Regional agronomy centers wouldn’t have this either. But I don’t discredit resources that are more historical or out of date. Yes, our planet has changed and we are not the same as when they grew 80-100 years ago but I value those resources. No, they’re not peer-reviewed but I appreciate the lived experience they represent. We have a long ways to go in terms of reestablishing knowledge of processing, farming, and the human side of the industry.
Where did you go for resources when you were developing the project?
I started getting into linen in 2005 and I really struggled. I found one spinner who knew flax, everyone else was a wool spinner. I found a museum where the local linen spinner had just registered. It was so difficult to access information and the craft was vanishing. Coincidentally, I noticed the quality of the linen was going down. So I felt like I was watching the craft and the product disintegrate. But now, there’s a ton of people around the world who are working to bring back linen and we have way more resources. I try to turn to scientific journals out of Europe because they have some institutions in Belgium and France that are studying the crop now.
Wow! It’s so interesting to turn to Europe and their take on fashion. From France and their upcoming laws on ultra-fast fashion to their dedication to studying crops, it’s a way of quelling eco-anxiety when we hear stories like this. Ok, someone gets it! What lessons can we learn from the Flaxmobile and apply to other climate-change-directed projects?
One that comes to mind is that:
“When it comes to addressing climate challenges, we have to take a collective approach. The flaxmobile engages so many people along the supply chain and it felt revolutionary to bring people from different sectors together.”
And I don’t think it should feel so revolutionary, but it is a really necessary approach as we try to tackle the climate problem. There are huge problems because we are entrenched and stuck in our ways. But we have social and political ideas keeping us in our ways. We can look to each other to find common goals, and work through the tensions and challenges.
That’s so inspiring. Oh, how I would love to be in the room for a community engagement session! How can others join these sessions? What’s the best way for others to get in touch if they wish to partake in the program?
Please send us a message on our Instagram pages. We really love to share posts and reels about what’s happening in the field and what craftspeople are doing with the flax. Please come follow us and reach out through the website as well.
Thank you so much Jennie! We appreciate your time and the sharing of your knowledge. May the Flaxmobile continue to roll on and spread love, linen, and community throughout Atlantic Canada and find its way to the roads through the rest of the country.
Edited by: Luiza Giocondo Teixeira, Communications & Engagement Director @ Threading Change
Sara McQuaid
Sara is a writer and teacher currently working in Montreal, Quebec. She has a Honours Bachelor degree in History from Trent University and a Master's Degree in History from KU Leuven, focusing on women's history. Her passion for understanding contemporary challenges and love of fashion has inspired her to shift into the sustainable industry. She hopes to shape history by helping to change the future of fashion into one that is fossil-free and equitable.
Citations
Cowie , Helene Louise. “Murderous Millinery.” Victims of Fashion, November 30, 2021, 17–54. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108861267.002.
Early , Catherine. “Regulatory Crackdown on Slavery in Cotton Supply Chains a Wake-up Call for Fashion Brands | Reuters.” Reuters. Accessed October 24, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/regulatory-crackdown-slavery-cotton-supply-chains-wake-up-call-fashion-brands-2023-08-20/.
Eyerman, Ron. Cultural trauma slavery and the formation of African American identity. Cambridge, U.K: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Igini, Martina. “10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics.” Earth.Org, May 30, 2024. https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/.
Institute, Canadian Conservation. “Government of Canada.” Canada.ca, February 22, 2019. https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/mercury-museum-collections.html.
Little, Becky. “Killer Clothing Was All the Rage in the 19th Century.” National Geographic, October 17, 2016. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/dress-hat-fashion-clothing-mercury-arsenic-poison-history.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. Accessed October 10, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.
“The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1911.” NobelPrize.org. Accessed October 23, 2024. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1911/marie-curie/biographical/#:~:text=Together%20with%20her%20husband%2C%20she,of%20her%20work%20in%20radioactivity.
Simkin, John. “Punishment in Factories.” Spartacus Educational. Accessed October 24, 2024. https://spartacus-educational.com/IRpunishments.htm#:~:text=Punishment%20in%20Factories,to%20make%20them%20work%20faster.
“Slave Trade.” United Nations. Accessed October 24, 2024. https://www.un.org/en/observances/decade-people-african-descent/slave-trade.
Vaughan, Don. “Radium Girls: The Women Who Fought for Their Lives in a Killer Workplace.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed October 24, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/story/radium-girls-the-women-who-fought-for-their-lives-in-a-killer-workplace.
Webster , Hayley. “Flight of Fashion: When Feathers Were Worth Twice Their Weight in Gold.” Museums Victoria. Accessed October 23, 2024. https://museumsvictoria.com.au/article/flight-of-fashion-when-feathers-were-worth-twice-their-weight-in-gold/#:~:text=An%20ornithology%20publication%20in%201887,large%20plume%20of%20feathers%2C%201910s.
“Why Footbinding Persisted in China for a Millennium.” Smithsonian.com, February 1, 2015. https://
