10.2 Flax （Linen）

Flax is a bast fiber obtained from the flax plant. Flax fibers resemble cotton in so far as they consist of cellulose but have lower cellulose content. On an average the flax fibers contain only about 75 percent of pure cellulose，the remaining matter being a gummy pectic substance. The polymer of flax consists with a degree of polymerization of about 36，000 glucose units.

The surface of each fiber is smooth and this helps to give linen materials their characteristic high luster. Flax has relatively high strength. In many of its chemical properties linen closely resembles cotton. Thus，it is resistant to alkalis and is easily deteriorated by acids. Properties of flax fibers are shown in Table 10-2. Linen is mainly used in the manufacture of sail cloth，tent fabric，sewing threads，fishing lines，table-cloth and sheets，but today it is often used as a component of blends.