Flax Growing

Growing flax is a quiet act of resilience - against climate shocks, broken supply chains, and extractive systems. It’s simple, beautiful, and powerful. You plant a seed, and you’re part of something much bigger: a movement toward regenerative, regional, and real farming.

In Northern Ireland Mallon Linen are the leading the flax growing revival but they want others to follow suit.

Here a a few reasons to grow flax:

 1. Flax is a Soil-Friendly, Low-Input Crop

Flax is naturally resilient and thrives without heavy reliance on synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. It can be grown in rotation with other crops, improving soil health and reducing pest cycles. This makes it a poster child for regenerative agriculture. 

“Flax suits a regenerative model perfectly - it nurtures the soil, supports biodiversity, and needs less intervention.” - We Feed the UK

2. It’s Well-Suited to Northern Climates

Flax loves cool, damp environments - conditions that challenge other crops. It's a strategic crop for building food and fibre resilience in uncertain weather systems.

“In an era of climatic unpredictability, flax offers reliable returns without excessive irrigation or inputs.” - The Ecologist

3. A True Zero-Waste Crop

One of flax’s most remarkable qualities is that every part of the plant can be used. While different varieties are typically grown for either fibre or seed, no matter the type, the entire plant has value:

• Seeds become flaxseed (aka linseed), rich in omega-3s, used for food, oils, animal feed, and even natural wood finishes.

• Stems can be processed into linen fibre, paper, insulation, and biocomposites.

• Shives (woody inner cores) are used in animal bedding, construction materials like hempcrete, or as mulch.

• Dust and short fibres can go into biochar, textiles, or eco-packaging.

“Flax doesn’t leave waste behind - it leaves a legacy of usefulness.”

4. Biodiversity Booster

Flax flowers provide forage for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its shorter growing season also allows space for cover crops, reducing bare soil time. On small scales especially, this makes flax an agroecological ally.

5. A Seed for Rebuilding Local Economies

Right now, most of the infrastructure needed for a fully circular flax economy - like local scutching, spinning, and weaving facilities - doesn't exist. But that’s not a dealbreaker. In fact, it’s one of the most compelling reasons to start growing flax now.

Growing flax can act as a catalyst - the starting point that encourages investment in regional processing, reconnects farmers with makers, and revives forgotten skills. By choosing to grow it, even on a small scale, you’re creating demand and showing there’s value in relocalised, regenerative supply chains.

“It’s not about slotting into an old system - it’s about growing the roots of a new one.”

So while the circular flax economy isn’t here yet, every seed planted is part of building it. Flax growing becomes a kind of quiet activism - grounded, practical, and full of future potential.